David Moyes has vowed to continue proving the doubters wrong by keeping West Ham among Europe’s elite.
Moyes has upset the odds since returning to the Hammers for a second stint, after his first spell in charge ended when his short-term contract expired.
Since his comeback he has turned West Ham from relegation candidates to top-four challengers, and on Thursday night the club will be on their biggest European stage in 41 years when they face Sevilla in the Europa League last 16.
“I had something to prove when I came back. Something to show,” he said.
“West Ham didn’t take me the first time, when I felt we’d done enough. We all can get things wrong – I admire them for admitting they got it wrong.
“I felt I had to drive things on and make sure they saw the best of me. From my point of view, it’s been complete energy from me that I can drive on.
“The team think they’re doing quite well at the moment, but I think they can do much better. I can see them going to that level more often.
“I want this to be the new West Ham. The new West Ham that qualifies for Europe. The new West Ham that fills a stadium because the football is good and we have young, exciting players.
“This time last year I felt Europe was a possibility. Prior to that, we were about avoiding relegation, that was the job.
“To think of where we have come in one year, from mid-table to challenging for Europe, now we’re talking in terms of Champions League football. We have moved a big amount in a short space of time.”
Declan Rice, who missed last weekend’s defeat by Liverpool through illness, has travelled to Spain and should play against the six-time winners of the competition.
Rice’s midfield partner Pablo Fornals, who used to play for La Liga rivals Villareal and Malaga, knows the size of the task.
“They won the Europa League six times, but it’s going to be the the first time for us playing since 40 years ago,” he said.
“I think the motivation we have to be here, and all the lads since we knew who we were going to play against, is massive.”
Video footage on social media later emerged showing West Ham fans and Eintracht Frankfurt supporters throwing bottles at each other in the street. Eintracht were in Seville for their away Europa League clash with Real Betis on Wednesday.
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