Even though the final result did not go in favour of West Ham United, the chance to return against Stade Rennais would have been a memorable one for Nayef Aguerd.
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West Ham United might have lost their recent friendly to Stade Rennais 3-1, however, the occasion was special for one individual. Nayef Aguerd had returned to Roazhon Park for the first time since moving to West Ham. The Moroccan defender had departed the Ligue 1 club last summer and has since been a regular at the Hammers. It would have been a special occasion for the 27-year-old to see his former colleagues and friends once again.
Even though the final result did not go in favour of West Ham United, the chance to return against Stade Rennais would have been a memorable one for Nayef Aguerd. His manager David Moyes made it extra sweet by offering him the chance to captain the side. “It was incredible return to Rennes. It was great to be back at Roazhon Park and also to see my old teammates. I’ve kept in touch with them and, as for the fans here, I wasn’t expecting such a warm welcome. I’m touched,” he was quoted as saying by the club’s website.
“Playing in the colours of West Ham, I tried to stop as much of Rennes’ attacking threat as possible and tried to tell my teammates about their strong points too. But it’s very hard to stop them. It’s a game of positioning and the wingers and full-backs are always on the move. I used to be on this team so I knew it was going to be a very, very tough match. Everyone here in the West Ham team knew it would be a tough match, but we didn’t come to Rennes to sightsee. We wanted to test ourselves.”
Aguerd also revealed how surprised he was after being named as the captain just before kick-off. “I was surprised. The manager didn’t tell me until we were in the dressing room, before the game, that I was captain. As a player, I was just trying to pass on advice and use my leadership qualities. Armband or not, I’ll always try to do my job,” he elaborated.
The Moroccan defender also looked back at last season, as he discussed their dream run in Europe and the struggles in the Premier League. “Last season wasn’t just about one competition for West Ham. In some ways, it was a great season and in others, it wasn’t very good. It was tough. We were playing for our survival in the Premier League right until the end,” he added.
“Every weekend in this division, there are matches at a very high level, but we’ve got a great group here. Winning the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy was like a dessert. To be rewarded for our efforts in that competition was amazing, because it was very, very tough mentally. This year, we must start the season well. I’m a very optimistic person so we will see.”
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