West Ham beat Fiorentina 2-1 to win the Europa League; Jarrod Bowen scored the winner in the 90th minute | David Moyes on presenting his medal to his father: “He was the first one, I thought I should put it around his neck. He’s watched a lot over the years and I hope he’s enjoyed it.”
West Ham manager David Moyes presented his Conference Europa League winner’s medal to his father after hailing his first major trophy as the best night of his career.
Jarrod Bowen’s last minute winner saw West Ham seal a dramatic and historic 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in the final in Prague as the Hammers secured their first FA Cup trophy since 1980 and their first European trophy since 1965.
Moyes’ father, 87-year-old David Senior, has been at every step of West Ham’s European tour and joined his son on the pitch after the final whistle.
Declan Rice lifts the trophy after West Ham won the Europa Conference League
Moyes presented his winner’s medal to his father after the match
“He was the first one, I thought I had to put it on his neck,” said the jubilant West Ham boss. “He’s watched a lot over the years and I hope he’s enjoyed it.”
Moyes added: “He’s still strong, he still wants to come to the game. It’s great, it was a great moment to have your family at the game.
“These moments as a manager don’t come around too often. You have to work very hard.
“The family, from young guys, they always want to support you. Sometimes you don’t get enough good moments in football, but today is a great moment for us.”
Moyes leads West Ham’s Europa League win on the team bus after the match!
Just nine weeks ago, Moyes watched as away fans unfurled a ‘Moyes out’ banner during a 1-0 win over Fulham, possibly saving his job.
Now the manager who helped end West Ham’s 43-year wait for a trophy has etched his name into the east London club’s folklore, joining Ron Greenwood and John Lyall as Hammers trophy managers. A place in the Europa League next season means the club have qualified for Europe three seasons in a row for the first time.
He said BT Sport: “I have to say this is my best day in management because the moments where you can celebrate, have your family here and win in the last few minutes of the game – we did that against Alkmaar – they don’t happen often Tonight was great, it feels great.
“If someone said when I took the job three years ago that we would avoid relegation, finish in Europe, they would probably have said you are angry. Then to do it two years in a row and make it to the semi-finals, then make it to the final…wow.
“And yes, we know it hasn’t been a great year in terms of how our form is going in the Premier League, but this competition has been great for us. The players were remarkable, what they did.”
Moyes hailed his first major trophy as the best night of his career
A place in next season’s Europa League means the club have qualified for Europe for three successive campaigns for the first time.
“I actually think the last two years have been an amazing journey,” Moyes said.
“It’s an incredible achievement to do so well in Europe, you look at some very good teams for whom it is difficult. It’s a great credit, we’ve turned a disappointing season into a super season.”
Bowen on winning moment: ‘Best moment of my career’
West Ham’s match-winner Bowen admitted he was close to tears as he celebrated scoring the goal that won West Ham’s Europa League.
Bowen pounced on Lucas Paquette’s brilliant pass in the 90th minute and slotted past Pietro Terraciano to score his 13th goal of the campaign and spark wild West Ham celebrations.
Hayden Mullins reacts to Jarrod Bowen’s dramatic last minute winner for West Ham to win the Europa League against Fiorentina in Prague
Bowen said bt sports: “You always say you want to score in the last minute and to do it here in front of these fans, I thought I was going to cry.
“I’m so happy. We didn’t have the best season, myself included, but to do it tonight, I don’t mind.
“I think in my position, if you make that run 10 times, you might get that ball once. As soon as you get it, you have to put it away.”
Jarrod Bowen celebrates after scoring West Ham’s late winner against Fiorentina
The England international added: “I can’t sum it up, it’s the best feeling I’ve had in my career.
“When I went through it, I had a lot of time and it was just making sure you were going to score it. The keeper came out and I think I went down, I looked up and the ball was going in and I thought ‘no, that’s not happening’.
“I spoke to my family before and said ‘imagine scoring in the last minute’. To bring a trophy to this club is the best moment of my career.
“The fans too, when I saw them after the game, I was speechless. It’s the best feeling of my life, I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d win a European trophy.
“I’m so excited, I think we’re all going to go crazy. You should celebrate. When the final whistle came I just thought this party is going to be crazy. I’m just a little boy from Leominster who never thought I’d talk like this. My family is crying and it just shows me how far I’ve come.”
“I’ve never (felt like this in my life). This is the biggest match of my career. The emotion, there was time for another chance. I’m just so happy. I’m thinking about the party tonight. Listen to it. Listen.”