Randolph excited for Juventus clash

West Ham’s Darren Randolph knows what it’s like to come up against Italy’s finest, and the goalkeeper says those experiences are why he plays the game ahead of tomorrow’s friendly with Juventus.

Randolph was between the sticks when Ireland beat Italy in Euro 2016, as they rescued their campaign and booked a place in the second round.

And the 29-year-old could come up against several faces from that Italy side as the Serie A champions travel to London for West Ham’s final friendly before the Premier League begins.

“We’re playing against some of the players I came up against just a couple of months ago,” he said.

“It’s a team full of top European players and it’s a big game and another great occasion for us in front of another packed house.

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

“I don’t know if I’ll be playing, as I was concentrating on Thursday’s game and just getting through but we were back in training on Friday and will start looking forward to it.

“I think everyone looks forward to these last friendly matches when you play against the bigger teams.

“It’s why everyone wants to play football, to play in these games against top players continuing on from the summer.”

Sunday’s match was due to the official curtain raiser at the club’s new London Stadium, but the Hammers entertained NK Domzale in a Europa League qualifying tie instead.

Randolph is behind regular shot stopper Adrian in the West Ham pecking order, but says the lure of the new stadium was one of the reasons why he has decided to stick around.

“If you want to look to push forward as a club, then you have to move stadiums or make your stadium bigger and I think, with how we performed and where we finished last year with the players we have managed to get in, we want to be playing in front of big crowds in big stadiums,” he said.

“That will lure more big names to the club and that can only be a positive.

“Part of the reason why I wanted to stay is because we have a good group of lads and are moving into a new stadium and a new training ground and it’s exciting.

“If we continue to perform like we did last year, who knows? Another finish near the top of the table finish and European football is what everybody wants.”