The Terry Westley era was incredibly successful for the Irons.
Former Academy boss Terry Westley talks to Hugh Southon as he takes up his new job in the J-League
Manuel Pellegrini has been placed in the exalted company of the late John Lyall and Sir Bobby Robson as one of the best managers with whom Terry Westley has ever worked.
And the former Academy chief – in an exclusive interview with ClaretandHugh – believes he has every chance of taking the club into a top six spot next season.
Terry left the Hammers to become technical director of the J League – a position he took up yesterday – and he declared: “Manuel is a top top manager – he is right up there with Sir Bobby and John with whom I worked at Ipswich in my early days.
“He is without question one of the best I have ever worked with – knowledgeable, composed and a man of calm authority who gets immediate respect from players and those inside the club.
“West Ham fans should – and I believe they are – be incredibly excited by what’s ahead this season because he will strengthen the team further and West Ham now has players in the squad who are wanted by top outfits.
“Issa Diop and Declan are just two, Manuel Lanzini is another, and it’s brilliant to see the club and players showing disinterest in approaches from the likes of Manchester United. West Ham is a club very much on the up.
“What I love about the manager is that whilst bringing in better and better players he still makes sure he keeps the best youngsters involved.
“That’s because they have naivety and freshness in their game. That was seen with Grady Diangana last season- now he needs to push on to the next level.
“He has the right manager to help him and the same looks likely to be true of Nathan Holland who approaches the game in much the same way.”
Westley has seen Pelle’s effect has on players with his calm air of total authority declaring: “He has total confidence in his own ability – he knows he is good and there’s nothing wrong with that. The players have immediate and total respect.
“With the squad he is assembling he will be looking top six next season and there are good reasons to believe that will happen.
“He will have better players and a squad which is now used to his playing philosophy. There’s no way we will have such a bad start as last season so that’s where we should and ill be aiming.”
He has brought a new atmosphere to the club and these are very exciting times for West Ham United.”