CandH Exclusive by Hughie Southon
4.45pm January 26, 2022
West Ham have confirmed Nottingham Forest’s interest in under-23 left back Emmanuel Longelo but unless the bid is upped considerably there is no chance of him leaving the London Stadium this winter.
The Irons have confirmed the Championship club’s interest revealing that he was wanted on a permanent deal.
However, an insider told ClaretandHugh: “They made a stupidly low offer and we had no problem in turning them down flat. There’s always the chance they will come back but they will need to up the offer considerably.”
Joe Worrall
It’s been claimed that a deal may be linked with Forest hardman central defender Joe Worrall moving in the opposite direction but that has not been confirmed at this stage.
The Nottingham-born 25 year old is very much a Moyes-type player, never afraid to go in where it hurts, but the club are unlikely to let him leave this window as they stage a late bid for promotion to the Premier League
We are in danger of flogging the fledgling treasure on the cheap just because DM is not developing them into first teamers.
Totally agree, and this was the theme of my earlier post regarding Longelo. We have some very talented players in the Under 23s but Moyes does not have a good track record throughout his career of trusting in youth. There are some major exceptions, Rooney for example, but generally he will rely on the likes of Masuaku and Yarmolenko rather than Longelo or Okoflex. He’s a very good manager but this is a weakness and there is a danger of losing a very talented generation of young players unless he gives them some meaningful game time. The current first team has run itself into the ground, so if he is not signing anyone then give some of the young players a chance.
Yeah, he’s such a crap manager, yawn!
How to go from the Moysiah to Crap… in a heartbeat, based on rumour.
I have NEVER known a West Ham manager blood as many youngsters as Moyes has this season.
I can’t see any post in this section which says that Moyes is a bad manager – he isn’t – but there is an awareness that he is not good at the development of young players into regular first team players. The point I am making is that these young players need meaningful game time rather than an appearance in a dead rubber or a ten minute run out at the end of a game.
Nailed it
Once again, I’ve never known a West Ham manager blood as many youngsters as David Moyes and it can easy to underestimate what it takes to blood our youngsters in meaningful games.
I don’t see many clubs who have benefitted from West Ham’s failure in being able to utilise our talented youngsters?
But, it is all about opinion and I’m backing knowledge and experience on this one.
How many youth team players do you see playing for other top six clubs clubs. Not many I’d wager. TRAditionally they play in the early rounds of cup compeTItions but we were drawn against premier league clubs every round so far. I’m sure some lads will turn out against Kidderminster but then the same people will complain we’re not taking the cup seriously. To me it seems like more youngsters have had chances under Moyes than I can remember under previous managers. Whether it’s in Europe or substitute in the premier league or just sitting on the bench training with the first team and just being a part of it. ITS all great experience for the lads. MOre than theyd be getting at most other top six clubs I’d wager and more than under most other managers.
Sometimes fans are very keen to overreact when it comes to young players, everyone loves when we produce young talent. However the truth Is it’s only a very small % will ever make it at the very top. Moyes certainly does give them a chance if they are good enough, look at Johnson for example, he was a youth academy player who is now very much apart of the team.
Do you all remember the outcry when we sold Grady Diangana for 18 million? I think we can all agree, that looks like very strode business for now.
On a sperate note, I am concerned we are not going to make an important signing this window, but this is a separate issue.
Why do we keep buying expensive youngsters, run expensive Academies ?
If we get virtually zero back. If Ferguson had have had the same attitude at United, David Beckham and many more would not have had a chance.
I think you’ll find Declan Rice and Ben Johnson have already proved the worth and value of our academy many times over.