When neutral observers witnessed Andy Irving wearing the West Ham United shirt for the first time, they would have been forgiven for assuming this was an inexperienced youngster making his first strides onto the Premier League stage.
Instead, as Andy Irving toasts his 25th birthday, he does so having gone in the blinking of an eye from little-known head-scratcher to cult hero at the London Stadium.
Few footballers in the Premier League can boast a CV as unique as his.
A graduate of the Hearts of Midlothian academy, Scotland Under-21 international Irving took a lesser-trodden path on his journey to West Ham United, via spells in Germany with the Turkish-influenced Turkgucu Munchen and Austria with SK Austria Klagenfurt.
Whether Irving ever proves to be a dependable, first-team regular at West Ham – director Tim Steidten felt Andy Irving was a ‘zero-risk’ signing at £3 million – only time will tell.
But after making ten Premier League appearances this term, and a first start in the narrow defeat to London rivals Chelsea, the well-travelled Scot has his sights firmly fixed on a more consistent spot in Graham Potter’s plans.
Andy Irving explains where he must improve at West Ham United
Speaking to the official West Ham website, Irving is confident that his qualities in possession can lay the foundations for a long top-flight career.
Nicknamed the ‘Portabello Pirlo’ in homage to his Edinburgh high school as well as the legendary Italian playmaker, Irving’s 90 per cent pass accuracy is only bettered by James Ward-Prowse and the seldom-seen Luis Guilherme.
In order to really establish himself, however, the former Berwick Rangers and Falkirk loanee knows that he must adapt to a more fast-paced style of football than he became accustomed too in his travails abroad.
“Any time that I’ve started or come onto the pitch, I’ve shown the quality that I have and that I can adapt and play at this level,” a self-confident Irving says.
“I think, over this season, I’ve really improved and really kicked on. I just want to keep pushing for as many opportunities as I can get and, when I get the opportunities, it’s about doing well and taking them.
“As a football player, technically with the ball, I believe I have the level to play in the Premier League. But the physical side and the speed of the game are areas I want to improve on in the months ahead.”
Irving reflects on his ‘unbelievable’ rise at the London Stadium
Some have suggested that Andy Irving is destined to leave West Ham this summer, having found game time and even a benchwarming role increasingly hard to come by under Potter in recent weeks.
Yet, with captain Jarrod Bowen full of praise for Irving’s performances and attitude behind the scenes, he is certainly more than deserving of a chance few thought would ever come his way as he approached his mid-20s.
“I remember just getting the call up for warming up and saying that I was coming on to play my first game,” Irving recalls, speaking about his long-awaited Premier League debut in September.
“It’s a moment you work your whole life for. It was a brilliant moment, and the hard work and the belief that I’d put into myself had paid off at that point, and looking back after the game, the feeling of it was fantastic.
“It made me just hungry for more and to keep playing and to keep pushing for further appearances. I think I’ve taken my chances when they’ve arrived.
“There are times I sit back and think about my career,” adds Irving, who played third-tier football in Germany and once scored a 24-minute hat-trick against Red Bull Salzburg.
“I think the position that I’m in now compared to the position that I was in three years ago, even last year, is unbelievable, as I’m playing against the best clubs and players in the world at the moment. It’s definitely something that I’m really proud of.
“I’ve experienced a lot of different things. There have been plenty of ups and downs, but I think my determination and love for football have ultimately got me to where I am now, and hopefully it will take me a lot further.
“I definitely feel at home [at West Ham].”
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