Club NXT U23 v West Ham United U21s
Pre-Season Match, Schiervelde Stadion, Roeselare, Belgium, Saturday 10 August 2024, 1.30pm CEST
West Ham United’s U21s will play their final pre-season game ahead of the Premier League 2 campaign in West Flanders, Belgium, where they will face Club NXT U23.
After two fixtures against senior opposition in England and two behind-closed-doors friendlies during their pre-season training camp in Spain, Saturday’s clash against Club Brugge’s development squad will be the young Hammers’ final opportunity for minutes before their Premier League 2 opener against Brighton on Friday 16 August.
Tickets
For those Hammers fans who find themselves in West Flanders, the match at Schieverlde Stadion in Roeselare will be free to attend, no need to claim a ticket.
How To Follow
A live blog will be available on the Club’s website and app, while a match report and reaction will follow shortly after the full-time whistle.
Opposition
Rebranded in 2020 to Club NXT U23, Club Brugge’s development side ply their trade in the Challenger Pro League, the second tier of Belgian football.
Similar to West Ham’s last pre-season opponents, Real Betis B, Club Brugge pride themselves on promoting young talents. In the side that clinched the Belgian title for the 19th time on the final day of last season, the Flemish club featured no fewer than six homegrown players.
Four of those ‘young lions’ made their debuts in professional football during the 2023/24 season, and the current crop of NXT youngsters will be eager to show that they are also worthy of a call-up.
Well into their pre-season preparations, Club NXT's game against the U21s will be their seventh and final outing before they kick off their Challenger Pro League campaign against Lokeren-Temse on Saturday 17 August.
Coach's View
With a handful of players returning to the squad, having joined the first team during their pre-season Sunshine State Tour, coach Gerard Prenderville was pleased to welcome them back into the fold this week.
He said: “We’ve had some of the boys rejoin us this week, and there’s been a really good vibe around the camp. They’re a fantastic group, and I’ve worked with them for a long time. They love spending time together, so it’s great to have everyone back.”
In their first week back from the U21s' warm-weather training camp in Spain, coach Prenderville has been pleased with the intensity of the sessions as they prepare for their Premier League 2 season opener against Brighton.
He added: “Saturday’s game will be a chance to implement some of the in-possession principles and set plays we’ve been working on this week. It will also provide an opportunity to top up minutes for some of our players. We’ve seen positive signs in the two pre-season friendlies we played in Spain, and I hope our final pre-season game will help us put the final pieces of the jigsaw in place ahead of Brighton next week.”
Pre-Season So Far
Saturday’s game will be the U21s’ third fixture against international opposition this pre-season campaign, having already faced off against Granada and Real Betis B in behind-closed-doors training games during their warm weather training camp in Spain.
Prior to their pre-season trip to Jerez de la Frontera, the U21s were defeated by Ebbsfleet United and Maidenhead United on English soil.
