By Hughie Southon
Harrison Ashby’s departure from the Hammers, which now appears certain, is incredibly bad news for the Hammers.
Most would agree among those that have seen him that he looks to be growing into a very good prospect indeed and at a time when the right back position is clearly up for grabs would have made a pretty good fist of nailing it down.
Harrison Ashby
Like Conor Coventry, now switched to Rotherham for the rest of the season on loan, Ashby looks certain to be on his way having taken down all his Hammers relayed images from his Twitter profile.
Both could have had their chance in tomorrow evening’s FA Cup tie at Derby County.
The Hammers board cannot be blamed for talking a fee to Newcastle given that Eddie Howe is an agent to both guys . They don’t want to lose more on the academy investment by letting him leave on a free in the summer.
David Moyes has not given him the number of starts most think he should have received – his decision, as has been the case with others, and we will all form an opinion on that.
Mine?
We will regret losing a very talented young player and frankly I’m beginning to wonder why we are spending the amounts we are in developing youngsters or not getting better scouts at grass route level if none of these kids are apparently not good enough.
Spot on. That last paragraph raises a valid question. Also to which is why in the general press conferences; that this question doesn’t get raised and similar ones at that?
I have often wondered about this myself, we buy or develop so called wonder kids, spend a fortune on their development sometimes over many years, and then let them go somewhere else for a ridiculously low fee and watch them turn into great players……. something very wrong with our process me thinks!
On the other side of the coin, Chelsea didn’t think Declan Rice was good enough to keep at Stamford Bridge either. They may have let even more quality players slip through their books than the Hammers.
Academy aside, for sure they have let go several players who they have bought and then got rid of as not good enough. Mo Sabah was one of them.
I guess some managers/coaches have the talent to see the potential in young players and some don’t.
I mean Mo SALAH, sorry.
Nothing will change whilst the poison that is running through our club remains in his position ( Moyes ) let’s not forget that he thought Jordan Hugill was a premiership player so how can this dinosaurs judgement be trusted….
His judgement in the transfer market as truly shocking & the way he is killing our youth development is an absolute travesty………………….
We really need to get rid of Moyes A.S..A.P before it’s too late……
Hammeroo- I think the story is about whu academy but I get your point.For me I know alot of the players released having exactly been pulling up trees,but I’m still annoyed with Dinosaur Dave,he never gives the youngsters a chance, no point playing them for 5mins at games such as Europe when we already have won the phase league, I think Ashby & Coventry would have done extremely well,along with Perkins,Alese, just look at Arsenal,full of youngsters with no fear & I didn’t hear Arsenal say anything about the red bull model. For me I think Moyes should go & mayhe next manager will use the youngsters ,sorry for novel lol ,COYI against Derby
The handling of Ashby has been horrific, not given the opportunity the likes of Johnson, Coventry in games. He is without doubt a far better player than both and I lay the blame ultimately on the clown we have in charge of the team. He has refused to play the youngsters instead signing expensive flops, a great example signing Kehrer for 10m on huge wages instead of trusting young players and rewarding them with appropriate contracts. Moyes is the club a fortune and we are losing talent with potential.
We could buy better first team Players. If we did not waste money on Players that David Moyes will look at and say “Development Squad and let them go to waste or send them elsewhere.
Just put yourself in the position of some of our ‘fringe players’, first team is struggling, many 1st team players out injured, transfer market is ridiculous……….. yet you still dont get a chance to show what you can do, I mean, just imagine what Areola must think. All these players will be looking to see if they have a brighter future elsewhere and who can blame them. If you dont value them and dont trust them, you will lose them…. simple!
If spending all the time and money on the academy comes to very few getting through it seems a waste. I only really remember Ashby playing in an away cup match last season and he got cheered everytime he got the ball – he had a good game too but hasn’t featured much since. Somebody must’ve said he doesn’t have much chance of the first team- why else would he want out? I can’t believe it’s just because of Howe’s connection and the promise of big bucks.
A waste under Moyes but not under a manager with vision and real talent. Look at Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U all bringing them through. Look at Perkins playing regularly for Leeds now. Longelo, Alese, Ashby now, all wasted talent left rotting on the vine by Moyes. A decent Academy and a manager with vision please!
I completely disagree with most comments here.
Our Academy has been under performing g for at least 20 years. I can’t think of anyone who has left and gone on to have a stellar career. The nearest will be Declan Rice and was was chucked out by Chelsea!
Aa for Moyes in transfer market he spotted Bowen, Soucek, Coufal. Made good use of Arnatovic. Got good results from Antonio.
Got in Zouma , Aguerd, Emerson and Paqueta. Hugill failed but Moyes was booted out first time round and in came old man Pellegrini!