Irons chief Slaven Bilic reckons West Ham’s future is safe thanks to the teenage talent that is emerging from the club’s booming Academy structure.
Reece Oxford is just one of a gifted crop of youngsters emerging from the junior ranks – and the prospect of a generation of teenagers breaking into the first team is clearly exciting the Hammers boss.
Bilic is backing the club’s Academy and declared: ‘I was 19 when I made my debut in Yugoslavia but these days 16-year-old kids are not like 16-year-old kids I knew.
“I would not say they are more clever these days but they are certainly more mature and maybe better prepared as well to play these big games that are shown on TV.
He told The Sun: ”In my time, they were not mature at all or were exceptional like him. Of course there are other youngsters close to making the breakthrough here – midfielder, Josh Cullen at 19, is another.
“Those two are definitely knocking on the first-team door but there are more. It’s so important to a manager like me what happens behind the scenes and not just on the pitch. The West Ham academy deserves huge credit.”
These kids are going to save the club £10m’s, all got a great future ahead of them hopefully with us 😀
Lewis Page looked class as well, shame hes injured
I have been impressed with Cullen so far this year and he could develop alongside Payet and Zarate,
Oxford is already there as is Burke,
Henry and Lee should be around the first team as well not on loan
They will learn nothing in the championship only hard work,
But it’s great to see them getting the chance
I’ve been impressed with Henry 90% of the time, he’s no worse then Collins.