Don Hutchison has made a joke about Mark Noble ahead of West Ham’s Europa Conference League last 16 clash with AEK Larnaca.
The Hammers will face the Cypriot side over two legs next month to compete for a place in the quarter-finals.
Larnaca are top of the Cypriot First Division and have only lost four of their 24 league matches this season.
But West Ham will be clear favourites for the tie with the first leg away on Thursday March 9th before the second leg at the London Stadium a week later on March 16th.
Although Larnaca are one of the Europa League dropouts, West Ham should have enough to get the job done – on paper at least.
Hammers sporting director Noble was at UEFA’s House of Football headquarters in Switzerland for the ceremony.
Supporters tuning in to watch Friday’s draw may have noted the big grin on Noble’s face as the West Ham draw was made.
And Hutchison has made a joke about Noble ahead of West Ham’s Europa Conference League last 16 clash with AEK Larnaca.
Don Hutchison makes joke about Mark Noble ahead of West Ham’s Europa Conference League last 16 clash with AEK Larnaca
Former Hammers midfielder Hutchison, who was a West Ham teammate of Noble’s during his second spell at the club, has quipped that he knows what the sporting director was really thinking when the draw was made.
“I know exactly what Mark Noble is thinking with the draw against Larnaca,” Hutchison said alongside a picture of his old teammate grinning after the Hammers were pulled out of the hat against the Cypriot side.
“A trip to Ayia Napa!”
Brilliant! Hutchison’s post got a laugh out of former West Ham stars such as Carlton Cole and Hammers fans, who probably will be trying to work a night out in Aiya Napa into the away leg next Thursday.
Noble did admit after the draw he has been holidaying in Cyprus all his life.
Memories of party town Aiya Napa may have crossed the sporting director’s mind.
But he was more focused on what impact the lengthy flight could have on a West Ham squad fighting for their lives in the Premier League when speaking to UEFA after the draw.