Eat your heart out, Jose! David Moyes copies iconic touchline celebration after Jarrod Bowen netted late winner to win Europa Conference League… but West Ham boss says he couldn’t go ‘full Mourinho’ because of his KNEES
David Moyes joked he could not go ‘full Jose Mourinho‘ with his touchline celebration because his knees won’t allow it.
The Scot set off running to celebrate Jarrod Bowen’s last-minute winner to clinch Europa Conference League glory for West Ham.
It was a throwback to Mourinho doing the iconic celebratory run at Old Trafford when he was manager of Porto – but there would be no knee slide for Moyes.
‘The minute Jarrod went through I was edging down the touchline. I thought ‘this is the moment’,’ Moyes said afterwards.
‘I was probably about halfway down the line because I couldn’t do a full Mourinho! I can’t slide my knees and the grass was a bit dry so I was worried that I was going to go on my belly.’
David Moyes celebrated West Ham’s last minute winner by running down the touchline
Jarrod Bowen broke through in the final stages to slot in a famous winning goal for West Ham
Moyes’ celebration was reminiscent of Jose Mourinho’s iconic run when he was Porto manager
Asked to comprehend the moment Bowen won the trophy for West Ham, their first European piece of silverware in 58 years, Moyes added: ‘I ran down and I spoke to Jarrod about it… first I was thinking it’s not offside is it? Then Jarrod said the ball seemed to take an age to go into the net.
‘To score for us in the last minute of the game just about gave us a real chance to hang onto.’
West Ham captain hailed Moyes as West Ham’s greatest manager after the success in Prague and Moyes himself claimed it was the best win of his career, which has seen him manage Everton, Manchester United, Real Sociedad and West Ham among his tenures.
‘This is fantastic. I have had a long career in football and you don’t get many moments like this,’ Moyes told BT Sport.
‘These sorts of moments as managers don’t come around often. This is a great moment for us.
‘It is a brilliant club in the East End of London that does wonderful work in the community. It is a great family club. It is getting better and stronger. This is another step on the road of continued progress.’
Moyes joked that his knees refused him to go ‘full Mourinho’ but he enjoyed the celebrations
‘We have gone unbeaten in Europe, which is incredible. We only lost last year in a semi-final, two incredible years and we get another one now.’
Asked about this being his career’s crowning moment, he added: ‘I would have to say so.
‘The moments you get to celebrate with your family and win in the last minute of the game, it doesn’t happen often. It can go against you but tonight is a brilliant feeling.
‘If somebody had said three years ago when I took the job that you’d avoid relegation and finish in Europe and I’ve said you were mad.
‘This competition has been great for us, the players have been remarkable.’
