David Moyes admits it’d be a thrill to place his name on Scotland’s illustrious list of European greats.
The West Ham boss heads for Prague on Wednesday with an opportunity to join a select band of Tartan managerial heroes. If Moyes can win the Europa Conference League Final against Fiorentina, he’ll become just the seventh Scottish boss to hoist aloft a major continental trophy.
The Glaswegian would join an elite cast of names. Jock Stein, Sir Matt Busby, Willie Waddell, Bill Shankly, George Graham and Sir Alex Ferguson have done it – now Moyes can be next. The prospect sends pride swirling through him as he said: “It would be hugely important for myself. My home is in Scotland, that’s where I was brought up. The names that you mentioned are names that were around Europe in a different era when Scotland had a host of top managers competing in the best leagues and for European competitions.
“Sir Alex was the last to win as a Scottish manager, not only that but as a British manager as well. So it would be a big thrill for me if I could get my name alongside theirs.
“Obviously, many of them are greats in football. Not just at their own clubs but throughout the world, their names are known wherever people go.”
Moyes came close to having the opportunity only last season when his team reached the semi-finals of the Europa League. While Rangers made it through to the Seville showpiece, the Hammers were defeated by Eintracht Frankfurt before the Germans broke Ibrox hearts.
Moyes also has a link to Rangers’ previous Euro final experience at the 2008 UEFA Cup in Manchester. Walter Smith’s side defeated Fiorentina in the last-four before going in against Russians Zenit St Petersburg. The Italians had taken care of Moyes’ Everton in the last 16 of that season’s competition and the manager felt it had been a missed chance.
He said: “We lost 2-0 away to Fiorentina then won 2-0 at Goodison Park and it went to penalty kicks. It was a great opportunity because Rangers then beat Fiorentina in the semi-final and one of my good friends was Walter Smith.
“They went on to play in the final at Manchester City’s stadium so it would have been a great achievement if we’d got to the final. Unfortunately it happens it goes to penalties and hopefully if it does go to penalties (on Wednesday), it goes our way this time.”
While Moyes can do something special in Scottish circles, the Prague showdown can also open a door to Hammers greatness.
Although one of the InterToto Finals was won in 1999, it was back in 1965 when the vintage squad consisting of legends such as Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters defeated 1860 Munich to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Those heroes are saluted in stone and, asked if his boys can get the same adulation, Moyes said: “I don’t know if there will ever be statues because we’re talking about three England legends as well as West Ham, because of what they did for England in the World Cup. But I do believe the players have a great opportunity to be remembered by everybody at this club.
“There’s a new generation of young supporters in the east end of London, the club’s moved to a 65,000-seater stadium which is full most weeks. It just shows you the depth of feeling there is for West Ham in this part of London. If we can show those young supporters we can reach finals and maybe win them, it can be nothing but positive. I’ve had a lot of big games and it’s another big one. I’m really looking forward to it.
“If you had told anyone that we would finish sixth then seventh in the Premier League, get to a semi-final of a European competition and then the year after get to a final of a European competition, I think they would have said, no, that’s not true.
“We’ve given the West Ham supporters lots of good times and long may it continue. We want to keep it growing and these sort of moments happening. To be in a cup final is special. We have had two very good years. You’d have to go a long way back in West Ham’s history to see where that is matched.”
The club had a chance to win the Cup Winners’ Cup again in 1976 only to lose to Belgians Anderlecht in the final.
Moyes is now determined to make the most of his long-awaited shot and said: “There’s more managers that don’t get to finals than ones that do. Getting to them should be appreciated and respected.
“This is the first time we’ve done a European final and it feels special. The players are getting ready and I see them mentally in a good place.”
