Cottee hails Hammers success story

During a season of non stop moans and groans – during which nobody died as a result by the way – it’s good to focus on a Hammers success story!

And the rise of Jeremy Ngakia proves the Irons academy is becoming exactly that and perhaps a bit more besides.

One hundred appearances up Declan Rice has risen to the top of his profession since his emergence in the 2017-18 season with Grady Diangana joining him a season later and making 22 appearances before his successful loan move to West Brom this term.

Now – Ngakia has shown that he has everything required to go to the top assuming of course his consistency level remain at current levels.

And with Ben Johnson returning from injury Ryan Fredericks can expect a battle for the right back shirt  over the forthcoming months.

And Tony Cottee – himself of course one of the highest rated players from the academy down the years – couldn’t be more delighted to see the kids  breaking through.

Commenting exclusively to ClaretandHugh TC said: “It really is great to see because in a world where it gets harder and harder to find young players this is something of a triumph.

“Fair play to Terry Westley who really shook things up when no youngster had come through in years. A few years back the Irons would have had a monopoly on scouting in Essex and the east end.

“But these days Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs have a big presence so that makes the emergence of the youngsters even more praiseworthy. The club deserves a lot of praise for that.”

The arrival of so many foreign players has made it even harder for youngsters to make their presence felt and thus Jeremy Ngakia’s achievement so far has been excellent with Cottee expressing much admiration for the teenager.

He said: “He got a chance and took it because of the Fredericks injury. I broke through the same way because of an injury to Paul Goddard.

“I’d scored a lot of goals at academy level and managed to bring that to the old division One – Jeremy has done the same in the PL so now it’s all about maintaining consistency but big congratulations to him on what he’s achieved so far.

“It’s really encouraging to have had two or three great kids and probably another on the way through.”