There used to be a furore every time one of West Ham’s young. talented players departed London Stadium after failing to make their breakthrough under David Moyes, who quickly gained a reputation for discarding ‘youth’ in favour of older established Premier League warhorses. It was even an accusation levelled that he tried to recruit players who would ‘block’ the development of academy youngsters which of course didn’t go down well with supporters.
As I have been very critical of him, so I write the other side of the coin. Sometimes it seemed the decision to let players go was wrong, we shouted, disagreed, and In Mark Noble’s case went very public on one occasion when a young talent was let go.
But to be fair, some of those who left have struggled since, justifying the decision made to release them. It is far too early to speak about Div Mubama. But former Hammers defender Harrison Ashby has struggled to ‘breakthrough’ since leaving West Ham United.
I saw him in action in a home European fixture in 2022 and I thought he looked a great prospect – shows how little I know. He departed London Stadium in January 2023 on a permanent deal to Newcastle United and I was very disappointed. Since then, however, he has struggled to make progress, maybe proving the decision to say goodbye by the Hammers was the right one.
He played just friendly fixtures for Newcastle and was the loaned out to Swansea FC in the Championship for the season. He did struggle with injuries, however, and returned to St James’ Park at the end of May 2024. Rather than keep him, Newcastle decided to offer him to the market. Finally he was picked up and now returns on a season-long loan, back to London for a fresh start (at just 22 years old!) at Queens Park Rangers. Speaking with Newcastle local paper ‘Shields Gazette‘ Harrison confirmed he is still trying to learn and improve his game.: ““A big thing coming on loan is the style of football you are going to play. When you are on loan you want to improve, you want to get better and help the team.”
A great attitude to have, still think we could have coached him better at LS. I do wish him well. Whilst there is often a furore when a youngster departs, be it Divin Mubama, Sonny Perkins, Grady Diangana or Harrison Ashby, sometimes removing ‘our’ emotion at losing a young starlet is proven correct as many fail to make the break through at Premier League level.
Let’s be honest, it’s once in a blue moon that one of them makes it to be a regular premier league starter.
They may pop up and straight back down with a promoted club but regular premier league starters no.
The academy is not a reliable source of first team players whatever premiership club they might end up at.
The lower leagues are full of them and the academy probably makes a profit as we get a development fee every time one leaves.
That’s a much better far more balance approach Matin, take out the emotion before we praise or are critical. Then the piece becomes far more thought provoking.
The issue is agents, who want to make money off their young clients as soon as the can. ‘You’ll get more chance as Newcastle’, ‘only getting a few first team games at West Ham, go to Man City, Pep will play you’. While there’s money to be made for PSR purposes with selling on young players this nonsense will only increase. But the players and parents (who believe their offspring should be earning a million and a half a year at twenty) will just keep taking their agents ‘advice’.
I really hope he can get his career back on track as I always thought he was a very promising player. It was the damn injuries that he always seemed to have that have blighted his progress.
I wish him well at QPR.