(Reuters) – David Moyes said he was thrilled to reach the first European final of his 25-year managerial career after guiding West Ham United to the Europa Conference League title decider with a 3-1 aggregate win over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.
West Ham have not reached a European final since the 1976 European Cup Winners’ Cup, while the June 7 clash against Fiorentina in Prague will give the London side a chance to win their first major trophy since the FA Cup 43 years ago.
Reaching the European final is the bright spot of a poor season for West Ham, with Moyes’ future looking uncertain at one point as they plunged into the relegation zone earlier this year, though they have since climbed to the brink of safety.
“We’ve all but stayed up and we’re also in a final with a chance of winning a trophy, so there are a lot of positives that have come from it,” Moyes said after the 1-0 win in the second leg.
“I’ve been in football and a manager for a long time and you don’t get loads and loads of big opportunities.
“To actually get to a final is something which doesn’t happen in many managers’ lifetimes. I’m thrilled that I’ve had one or two, this is my first European one and it’s something I’m really pleased with.”
While West Ham struggled in the Premier League this season they are unbeaten in Europe with 13 wins and a draw.
For Moyes it is another shot at European glory after they reached last season’s Europa League semi-finals where they lost to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt.
“Let’s be fair, maybe if you saw us in the Europa League last year, you might have said, ‘They’ve got a chance of winning or getting to a final,'” added Moyes, who has also had managerial stints at Manchester United and Everton.
“The lows are incredibly low in football, the highs are high, but I’ve won a semi-final and now I have to go and win a final.”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
