Kamarai Swyer believes Sporting CP ‘B’ provided West Ham United U21s with an interesting test of their abilities in early pre-season.
Three weeks after returning to training, Mark Robson’s U21s concluded their intensive camp in Troia, Portugal, with a pre-season clash at the Academia Sporting on Saturday.
Despite playmaker Swyer giving the Irons a first-half lead in searing heat, the Portuguese side would battle back in the second half, heading home from a corner before netting from the penalty spot in the final minute of regulation time.
“I think it was a hard game for us, dealing with the heat and the conditions,” Swyer told whufc.com. “After the first 20 minutes or so, I think we did well. We got around them, were able to deal with them in the first half and were able to test our fitness. That’s what it is about in pre-season; doing the work as hard as you can and trying to get as fit as possible.
“We know playing teams from Europe will be a different test. It can be hard and they offer a different challenge and, in respect to that, we sort of knew to expect something different. The game was the kind that we were anticipating. It was tough. They were physical and it was hard work. It was a good pre-season test for us.”
The U21s have spent the last few days training hard in Portugal, with the young Hammers put through their paces in double training sessions, while also working on their cardio with early morning beach circuits and gym work-outs.
Swyer admitted working so intensely in the Troia heat has been tough at times, but said getting through would serve the entire team well in the season to come.
“The whole pre-season so far has been good. Scotland, firstly, was really good. Then we’ve come out here to Portugal, to Troia, and working so hard in such a hot country is always going to be tougher. I think the boys have dealt well with it.
“We’ve had intense days but that’s what you expect from pre-season. It’s going to be hard work. At the end, we’re all feeling fitter for it, which is good.”
Having scored the first goal of the U21s’ pre-season fixture schedule, Swyer is targeting more goals and more appearances before the start of the campaign.
He added: “I’m looking to get through pre-season injury free, with my fitness in a good place, and having played as many games as possible. Hopefully that will then lead to me getting a chance with the first team in the not too distant future.
“It was good to get off the mark with the goal. That’s something I want to add to my game more. I want to get into goalscoring areas and find the net more.”
