Hammers boss David Moyes has delivered some crushing news to West Ham’s amazing clutch clutch of rising young stars.
When it comes to developing top young talent, there have been few better than West Ham down the years.
The club is famed for being the self-styled ‘Academy of football‘.
And West Ham have shown why in the last couple of seasons with a host of exciting young stars coming through.
The talented crop underlined their potential by winning a league and FA Youth Cup double last season. It was the first time the Hammers have won the prestigious FA Youth Cup since that Joe Cole and Michael Carrick side of 1999.
Moyes delivers crushing news to young stars
But now David Moyes has delivered some crushing news to West Ham’s amazing young stars.
In an interview with the club’s official YouTube channel, a brutally honest Moyes says it is ‘sadly’ becoming increasingly difficult for young players to make it in the Premier League.
“First of all you have to have seen enough of them to think that they’re ready to train and play for the first team,” Moyes said.
“I’m going to say sadly I think it’s getting harder for younger boys to get in so early. I believe that I’ve probably given five 16-year-olds their debut in the Premier League.
“Through my career I’ve always had a lot of young players. I was a young player at Celtic when I got my debut at 18…
‘It’s become much harder’
“We’re very much aware of trying to give young players their opportunity. But I think the level the Premier League is at, and the way it is, it’s become much harder to give younger boys their debut.
“18-years-old was the young (age) probably a few years ago. But certainly I think it’s moved more towards 21 now for players in the Premier League.”
There has been a worrying trend developing of West Ham losing some of their top young talent.
Homegrown captain and talisman Declan Rice then pushed to join Arsenal in the summer and that trend extended to first team stars too.
England youth internationals Jamal Baptiste and Divine Mukasa have left West Ham to join Man City.
Last year another England youth star, Sonny Perkins, ditched the Hammers to move to Leeds. Harrison Ashby joined Newcastle.
Difficult for all concerned
Moyes was powerless to stop yet another highly-rated England youth international Amaro Nallo from joining Liverpool recently.
And currently young striker Divin Mubama is refusing to sign a new contract with West Ham.
It’s a difficult situation for all concerned. Moyes – or indeed and Premier League boss – has very little wiggle room to give young players the extended run in the team they often need to find their feet.
Young players have to make a big and instant impact on the team if and when they do get the chance.
Nowadays they are few and far between, though.
And if they do hang around at West Ham until they are 21 or above in the hope of making it, they are not then ready for careers lower down the leagues – either physically or mentally – and everything that entails.
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