A matter of pride as Hammers tradition takes off again
Some of us grew up in the days when the club could genuinely lay claim to the title of ‘Academy of Football’ but that was a long long time ago when football could claim to be truly community rather than corporate.
Ok, so no history lessons from the good old days – boring.
Instead lets take a look at what’s been going on over the last two years or so of academy boss Terry Westley’s reign and how pleasant it is to take real pride in our kids again.
That so many forum arguments have been going on about the likes of Quina, Oxford, Martinez, Rice, Holland, Samuelsen and Haksabanovich tells us much.
How long has it been since we’ve have been able to name so many outstanding prospects at that level of the club.
There has been a genuine “play ’em now brigade ” regularly making their voices heard and David Moyes hasn’t been slow to bring them into the squad.
Rice in particular looks nailed-on to become a regular over the next 12 months and but for the unluckiest of injuries Nathan Holland too would have been wowing us at first team level already.
The credit for all of this – along with the under 23s promotion – goes to Westley…a guy who at one time was in the frame to take over the first team.
Instead he remains at the helm of the academy set up and long may it continue following his decision to sign a new deal.
I for one am grateful that the academy is not only back on its feet but thriving for the first time in many years.
It may not have been the greatest season for the first time but with the new manager looking after that and Westley and his team producing some terrific youngsters, West Ham’s future looks bright this Christmas.
COYI