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Pellegrini cast serious doubts over Oxford’s future

Oxford looks isolated at the club

Manuel Pellegrini has made it clear that Reece Oxford is facing a bleak future at West Ham declaring: “It is a difficult moment for him and he must work very hard.”

Oxford’s position has been widely reported but for the first time the manager has made it clear that he may have to move on from West Ham.

Quizzed by reporters on the 19 year old Pellegrini declared: “A player that is 19 or 20 years old must be ready to play in the first team.

“This season will be difficult for him to play. I spoke with him some weeks ago to force him to continue working as high as he can.

If you don’t have space in the first team you must demonstrate in the Under 23 that you can make a difference in every game.

This is the part of a career for a young player that a lot of good players don’t continue in a good way, and the other arrives in the first team.

If for different reasons you don’t have the space you must go to another club to demonstrate that you can or you don’t come. Oxford has demonstrated he can play. We will see his future.”

Oxford was given no assurances about his first team future as the boss added: We will see when we finish the month of December, what is the best for every young player, and which changes we are going to make in our squad.

Oxford demonstrated that he played a lot of matches in the Bundesliga. Here, in this moment we have in his position a player who I am happy with his performance.

Ogbonna is on the bench but is working very well every day. Diop is also playing well. Rice doesn’t play in that position but can play there.

So, we will see what happens with him, whether he stays here or if it is better for him to go and play for another team.”

The manager added when asked that Oxford is not training with the first team declaring: “When he improves he starts working with us. He works, not every day, but a lot of time, some days with us.”

Claret

ClaretandHugh says: “It really is very rare for a manager to speak this bluntly about a young player and Reece Oxford may well feel very isolated after reading these words this morning. But in days when football club media departments try to keep the lid on anything “negative” – as they like to call it – for the manager to speak so honestly is more than refreshing…it’s almost revolutionary. There’s also another hugely telling remark in there when he says: “A player that is 19 or 20 years old must be ready to play in the first team”n which tells you not only everything about Oxford’s position but the manager’s philosophy – one that is on total contract to that of manager’s who have looked after this club over recent years. And that he should conclude by saying: “So, we will see what happens with him, whether he stays here or if it is better for him to go and play for another team.” tells us exactly where this is going we reckon.

 

 

 

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

2 comments on “Pellegrini cast serious doubts over Oxford’s future

  1. Perhaps we should look at Oxford palying at right back – I thought he played there while in Germany?

    • That makes total sense, but Pelle has to believe that he’s willing to work hard for that opportunity, and not feel he’s better than that. We sometimes forget that these guys are kids. At 19, I’m not convinced all of my decisions were ‘grown-up’, and it’s easy at that age to feel defensive and as if the world is against you. Players like Rice, who he says he looks up to, are mature beyond their years, and that’s rare. We can only hope he doesn’t end up a wasted talent like Morrison was, and that the people around him wake him up from his perennial sulk.

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