Declan Rice has been told he has no reason to leave West Ham at this stage of his career and that he may be starting to believe he is capable of fulfilling his ambitions at the club. Former Hammers academy director and exclusive CandH blogger Terry Westley knows the boy better than most and is excited to see the incredible progress he is making. Here he discusses how he sees the 21 year old’s career developing.
By Terry Westley
I have a message for Declan – a young man of whom I feel immensely proud as both a man and a footballer. The first thing you look for in a promising young footballer is a great character and that was always Declan. He’s grown into a very fine adult.
As a footballer he was a slow burner when he first came to the club but he was always aspiring to become an under 18 at 16, and an under 23 at 18 before bursting into the first team squad.
His progress since has astonished me and to become captain of the club and a regular in the international squad means he has no reason to be looking for a change of club to achieve his aims at this stage.
David Moyes is making him central to everything that is happening at West Ham and if the team can continue the progress it is making we could soon be a top six or eightand I believe that will be more than enough to keep him where is is.
David is making it very difficult for Declan to think of being anywhere else than the Hammers right now – everything he is doing is designed to make him feel top man and if, as I believe they will, the squad find themselves really pushing into Europe Declan will want to be a part of it.
He has this terrific player alongside him – Soucek – who can make him an even better player and my message to him is: “Stay where you are lad, anything starts to look possible.”
The time will come when he wants medals and no one will deny him that but there are early signs this season that it might even happen at West Ham. If it does I see him staying. He loves West Ham and he would be a very happy boy if he could achieve what he wants to with us.
No doubt the Chelsea talk will go on. However my very simple piece of advice to him is that bhe should stay for three or four years at least – there’s no serious reason to move on as things stand.
I think Terry is right not necessarilly about the 3 or 4 years a lot of that will depend on investment into other players but in that he should stay where he is as he has a set up that works for him and allows him to showcase all his skills.