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West Ham U21 Coaches Reflect on Impressive Season

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West Ham United‘s U21 team impressed last season, and coaches Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville recently spoke to the club’s official website about the team’s achievements.

The Young Hammers finished as runners-up in the Premier League 2 (PL2) division, showcasing their talent throughout the campaign. While they fell short in the PL2 quarter-finals against Sunderland on penalties, their overall performance was commendable.

The team’s success wasn’t limited to the PL2. They reached the semi-finals of the PL International Cup and the last 16 of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy. They even managed to notch up wins against senior sides like Bristol Rovers, Newport County, Cheltenham Town, and Colchester United.

These victories demonstrate the talent and potential within the U21 squad. This was further emphasised by senior call-ups for Michael Forbes and Callum Marshall (Northern Ireland) and Premier League debuts for George Earthy and Kaelan Casey.

Despite missing out on silverware, coaches Potts and Prenderville were clearly proud of their players’ development.

“Whoever has come into the team has done well,” said Potts, highlighting the squad depth. “We talk a lot as coaches after training and we’ve never come in and gone: ‘The boys weren’t at it today’. Every day they train well. That makes such a difference on match days.”

Prenderville echoed this sentiment, attributing the team’s success to their dedication: “The group has such a huge love for football – and getting second place in the league is down to how they apply themselves at Rush Green.”

Looking towards the future, both coaches believe these players have the potential to make the jump to the first team.

“They’ve done well in the competitions with the U21s, but a lot of people don’t see how well they do when they are training with the first team,” said Potts. “One or two have made their debuts, yes, but there is still a long way to go.”

West Ham fans will be excited to see these talented youngsters continue to develop and potentially become important contributors to the first team in the coming seasons.

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