Northern Ireland ran out 2 – 0 winners in their impressive victory against Slovakia on Friday night, with West Ham’s young striker Callum Marshall an unused substitute. The Hammers youngster will get another opportunity to add to his International appearances when Germany – minus West Ham’s injured Niclas Fullkrug – come calling on Monday night.
Which is where the two stories – Marshall’s opportunities and Fullkrug’s injury – conflate.
Because the news that Fullkrug has a thigh muscle tear and will miss several weeks will be bittersweet to Marshall, himself just making a tentative senior career step up at West Ham after a debut appearance against Arsenal.
Whilst the Northern Ireland Hammer will have more opportunity opening up between now and January with just he and Callum Wilson the fit West Ham forwards, another Fullkrug breakdown surely makes it imperative that West Ham go big on a Premier league-ready striker in the January window.
Youth coaches promoted to senior squad roles: Intriguing opportunities
Which could put Marshall back on the subs’ bench for the rest of the season.
It does however offer a fascinating run of games as an opportunity for Marshall between now and January in which he will get a decent run in the side. Don’t rule out, too, the teen talent of Josh Landers who has been setting the world on fire in first the u18’s and now the u21’s: Remember the identities of the new cohort of Nuno -appointed former academy assistant coaches.
Never has the Premier League seen so many teenagers starting games for top clubs: The maxim of ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’ can finally trickle down to West Ham.
Fair to say the window of opportunity has never been more open at any stage for a youngster to grab a chance with both hands, since Moyes, Lopetegui and then Potter paid lip service to, but ultimately rejected giving youngsters Premier League opportunities.
Finally fans are more likely than ever to see young pacy talent get decent opportunities in the coming months at West Ham. Another reason for everyone except the stricken Fullkrug to look forward to the resumption of the Premier League next weekend.