Scratch the surface on some of the lesser known departures from West Ham United this summer and there are some intensely poignant stories of players who have spent most of their football lives as West Ham employees now having to accept ‘rejection’ from the club they dreamed of representing.
Yesterday’s article showed George Earthy thriving following his summer sale to Reading.
Another ex-Hammers academy graduate, Callum Marshall is, by all reports, proving how much he wants to make a name for himself after being jettisoned by Nuno this summer. Whilst the fee was ‘undisclosed’, West Ham sold Marshall to third tier Luton Town for pennies after he’d spent four years at east London since arriving from Linfield Town in 2022.
Marshall is already a full Northern Ireland international and again, there were many in the fan base who were disappointed to see him leave.
Marshall now impressing everyone at Luton Town
He’s already made something of a reputation for himself with two goals for Luton in just 320 minutes on the pitch. His Luton manager Jack Wilshere has described how Marshall’s incredible work ethic has already raised eyebrows since he landed at Kenilworth Road:
“He’s a goalscorer and genuinely I’ve never seen or worked with a striker that wants to do finishing so much after training, different types of finishes, in small-sided games, he scores goals out of nowhere.” (newsletter.co.uk)
Anyone who’d seen Marshall’s 27 yard ‘wonder strike’ against Stockport County would have agreed that practise can, in his case, make perfect.
Never quite understood why Callum Marshall was given so few opportunities under Nuno at West Ham: How many times the Hammers could have used his never-ending pressing in the latter stages of games, regardless of goal threat. Sometimes it seems Espírito Santo does make up his mind very early on about some of his players – and then nothing will shift him.
However as we said yesterday, regarding the academy players produced each year – about twenty – ‘you can’t keep ’em all’ and no doubt Marshall will make it a success at Luton and go onto greater things in the middle tiers of the EFL. And the very best of luck to him.
Agree with comments in the article, feel the same about NES and that certain types of players, Marshall definitely, are never seriously considered.
Pity because even now with 2 established 2 forwards in Taty & Piroe (Pablo occasionally), Marshall would still bring something different, adding a lot of hustle & bustle to the front line plus he would be perfect playing off either of them, with assists going either way.
Good luck to him, he us such a grafter and now scoring spectacular goals from outside the box as well. Hope he scores as many goals as Tony Cottee.😊
Hope he does well, I really wanted to see him get more chances at West Ham but sadly was not to be!!
I feel he was not given enough follow up on his whole hearted efforts on his tour to the USA. When I felt his energy would of offered the team value. Though I only see the match appearances on tv and am not a manager working 24/7. If my memory is correct the manager on that tour and after was Potter.