Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IRONS CAN EMULATE PAST HEROES
West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt Europa League semi-final, 1st leg, Thurs, 8pm
BY
DECLAN RICE, Jarrod Bowen and the rest of West Ham’s stars will be loved for ever at the London Stadium if they can etch their names into Irons folklore by winning the Europa League this season.
And the man making that claim, Jimmy Walker, should know.
After all, his goalkeeping heroics in the 2005 Championship play-off final win at the Millennium Stadium against Preston saw him afforded cult-hero status at the club — a position that endures today.
Walker (right), whose former club take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their semi-final on Thursday, said: “This West Ham side is great to watch – they’re exciting, well-drilled and you can see the work they’ve done on the training pitch.
“They also have that bit of quality, that X factor, with Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice having been sensational. Declan has turned into one of the best players in the country, maybe in world football.
“Bowen coming back in is a massive bonus as well. He adds something different and, with Michail Antonio up top, that pace they have just adds a little bit of fear into the opposition.
“There’s a lovely blend of experience and youth, there’s quality, pace, and everyone is pulling in the same direction, which goes a long way when you’re set up like we are. That gives us a real chance and, thankfully as I know, once you have a little bit of success here the fans will love you for ever. That’s what this club is based on.”
One man whose status is already assured at West Ham is Mark Noble and Walker, a Hammers matchday ambassador, added: “I’ve said it in the lounge and everyone has said, ‘No, you’re a dreamer’. But I envisaged Nobes lifting a trophy at the end of this season – and maybe the Europa League is the one.”