Julen Lopetegu pleased with West Ham progress after first pre-season game in charge | OneFootball

New era has dawned for Hammers

West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui was pleased with his team’s progress during his first match in charge.

Danny Ings and Nayef Aguerd scored second-half goals in a late comeback for the Hammers, who were able to hand new signings Luis Guilherme, Max Kilman and Wes Foderingham debuts.

West Ham travel to National League side Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday before flying out to the United States for games against Wolves and Crystal Palace.

“It has been a week of hard work,” he said.

“Today was the first test we have had [on the pitch] – it’s hard, and a good thing for us, because we are playing against a team who are starting their Champions League campaign next week, so they have been working for a month.

“It’s a good thing for them to have the experience with us, and now we have to continue working.

Kilman, whose signing sporting director Tim Steidten hailed as a “serious” statement of intent, was delighted to get up and running.

“I loved it," he said. "Obviously it’s my first game with West Ham, with the boys doing my best, and I enjoyed it.

"We’ve been here in Austria for a week and the manager has been working us really hard. We’re getting into it, getting used to the new way we want to play and it’s new to everyone.

"It’s tough [work], but we’ve really enjoyed it and slowly we’re going to progress."