New West Ham United defender Laura Vetterlein says the women’s team’s ambitions for the upcoming campaign made a switch to east London an easy decision.
The German became the first signing of the summer for the Barclays Women’s Super League side on Friday, joining the Hammers from SC Sand.
After watching the Irons achieve a seventh-place finish in the WSL last campaign, as well as a Wembley Stadium outing in the FA Cup Final, Vetterlein has been impressed with the quality already shown by her new team.
The 27-year-old is ready to be a part of a side that fights to go even further in the 2019/20 campaign.
I know Julia Simic from our time together at Wolfsburg and she speaks really positively about the club, saying this is a club with a lot of history.
Laura Vetterlein
“I feel really happy to be here,” Vetterlein told whufc.com “I know Julia Simic from our time together at Wolfsburg and she speaks really positively about the club, saying this is a club with a lot of history.
“In Germany, we saw a lot of media coverage of the FA Cup Final, and I could see how ambitious this team was. When you see a team play in a cup final, it inspires you to achieve the same things or hopefully even more.
“I’d love for us to reach the FA Cup Final again and maybe even win it. We’re also looking to get a higher league place than the seventh-place achieved last season, which I think is a great goal to set ourselves.
“I’m really excited to get going and I’m really happy to be here.”
Having linked up with her new club for pre-season, Vetterlein is set to begin work with West Ham women’s head coach Matt Beard, with the centre-back crediting him as a huge influence on her decision to move to Rush Green Stadium.
Having won WSL titles and worked across the world, Vetterlein believes Beard’s knowledge of the game will help her to become an even better player.
She continued: “It was from that first conversation I had with Matt that I looked forward to joining West Ham. It was a really good talk and he explained what the team wanted to achieve, and how good the facilities are.
“I felt very welcomed when we talked, and it was good to hear him tell me how he wants me to play. He already knows my strengths and how to make me an even better player.
“I’m really looking forward to working with him and all of the coaches.”
With West Ham United men’s first team also based at the Rush Green training facility, Vetterlein believes the Irons’ one-club mentality towards the women’s game is a crucial and progressive attitude to hold; one which was vital in her decision to move to the side.
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Having put pen-to-paper on her contract, Vetterlein is eager to pull on the Claret and Blue for the first time and show West Ham United supporters what she can do.
“The one-club mentality held by West Ham was the most important thing for me,” she added. “That’s what I really liked about this club. I was really impressed with the facilities here and it’s great we can use the same facilities as the men’s team.
“It shows we have the same level of importance to this Club and I think this is really necessary to improve the game in the future, so girls have the best chance to improve themselves in a professional environment.
“Now I’m just excited to play in front of the West Ham fan. That’s the thing about West Ham fans; they’re so excited and loud and passionate, and that’s what I’m looking forward to experiencing.”
