David Moyes didn't hold back in the dressing room as West Ham celebrated victory
At 60, with the same knees as him, David Moyes didn't back himself up to create the “full Mourinho” – the dramatic sideline knee slide made famous over the years by José Mourinho – when he ran onto the pitch, celebrating the greatest achievement of his managerial career.
Seconds after Jarrod Bowen sealed the win in Prague and delivered Moyes his first major trophy, the West Ham manager instead settled for a more traditional sideline dash, clenching his fists and roaring for the ages at the West Ham fans. ”, who went to the final of the European Conference League against Fiorentina.
“The minute Jarrod walked past, I was approaching the touchline,” Moyes said. “If there was anyone who was going to score, it was Jarrod. I couldn't do a full Mourinho because I can't slide on my knees and the grass was a bit dry. I didn't want to fall on my stomach.”
However, this does not mean that Moyes refrained from celebrating in the dressing room after the final whistle. Sliding off his knees may have been too much for him, but the “father dancing” (his words earlier this season) certainly wasn’t: Footage from the West Ham dressing room showed the manager, beer in hand, hopping gleefully to the sound of Heralds.
Our duty officer like you've never seen him before! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/e1JzNuioA4
— West Ham United (@WestHam) June 8, 2023
There were other songs and choruses. “West Ham are huge wherever we go” is the soundtrack to their last two seasons in Europe, and Moyes joined his players singing “Bowen on Fire” on the pitch. This particular song references Bowen's relationship with Dani Dyer, the mother of his newborn twins and the daughter of broadcaster (and prominent West Ham fan) Danny Dyer.
Speaking at the post-match press conference around midnight, Bowen gave some insight into what was to come. “We're just going crazy,” he said. “I'm not going to filter it. I'm not going to give a responsible answer. Moments like this don't happen often in your career. When the final whistle blew, I thought, “Yes, this party is going to be crazy.”
Jogadinha do Paquetá 🎶 pic.twitter.com/n7REwkzRkx
&mdash ; West Ham United (@WestHam) June 8, 2023
The sight of Moyes wiggling his hips may be a reminder of West Ham's wild celebration, but the competition is fierce. Drinks poured in minutes after the trophy was raised by Declan Rice, and the party was just getting started when the players finally left the dressing room around 2am on Thursday.
Rice is business as usual. The DJ is on the team, but he was supported in this regard by goaltender Alphonse Areola, who walked through the post-match media area with a huge speaker, bass booming and the volume at max.
Some of the West Ham players had clearly already felt the effects of alcohol in these moments, and who could blame them? Mark Noble, their former captain and current sporting director, joked to waiting reporters that he was “too emotional” to stop to chat. Alternative words could also be used.
Join the locker room, join the madness! 🕺 pic.twitter.com/LUDFTMZLqs
— West Ham United (@WestHam) June 8, 2023
From the Eden Arena, the players eventually returned to their hotel in Prague. Some reports suggest that the music did not stop until 9 am, and Said Benrahma was filmed on the streets of Prague embracing supporters at 5 am. An hour earlier Vladimir Kufal, Rice and Moyes were wandering around the city center.
Might need an afternoon nap because the celebration won't stop when the team returns to England. Players and staff will display the club's first major trophy since 1980 on an open top bus in London. The trip will start at their old home in Upton Park before moving on to a reception at Stratford Town Hall.
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