Oliver Scarles has played with Brazilian number tens, England internationals, and shared a flank with Crysencio Summerville since making his breakthrough at West Ham United.
Yet, there is still one current member of Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad who stands out above the rest for the young left-back.
When asked to rattle through his favourite teammates by West Ham United’s in-house media channels, Scarles paid tribute once again to Aaron Cresswell. A mentor at the London Stadium, and one of the finest left-backs in the club’s modern era.
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He also praised Lewis Orford; a youngster determined to join Ollie Scarles in the first-team picture.
But there is no one he marvels at more than captain Jarrod Bowen.
Ollie Scarles pays tribute to West Ham United skipper Jarrod Bowen
In quotes recorded by the club’s official website, Scarles could not speak highly enough of a forward who – even in what many consider to be a bit of a below-par season – still has ten goals and seven assists to his name.
“I think since joining the first-team, I’d have to say Jarrod Bowen [has been the stand-out],” Scarles says. “I think he’s unbelievable. He’s such a good player, has an incredible technique, and gets goals out of nothing.”
Bowen very nearly did just that against Leeds in Sunday’s FA Cup thriller. Twice he hit the post with thunderous efforts from distance, the first resulting in Mateus Fernandes halving the deficit on the rebound.
“I’m going to have to say [I am a big fan of] Lewis Orford, because coming through the Academy with him, we’re the same age, so we’ve always played together, and we get on so well,” Scarles adds of the 20-year-old midfielder.
“We’ve got such a good relationship, and I think you can see that both on and off the pitch.
“I’m actually [also] going to say ‘Cress’ again because, in my games that I played with him last season, there’d be games that I’d play left wing-back and he’d be the centre-back behind me. He’d be talking me through the whole game and helped me out so much.
“I felt like we had a good relationship on the pitch as well, because we’d talk to each other and make sure we stuck together and got through the game together. But even when one of us wasn’t playing, we’d always talk about the game and give each other pointers and stuff like that.”
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Scarles did not enjoy playing against Liverpool icon Mo Salah
Following a difficult loan spell at Stevenage in the autumn, Orford was spotted training with Nuno Espirito Santo’s first-team during the international break. The feeling is that he will get a chance in pre-season, before being loaned out again in the hope that he can this time nail down a starting berth in the EFL.
Now 36, meanwhile, Cresswell is at Stoke City. The Potters are set for yet another dull, mid-table Championship finish despite flying out of the blocks in August.
“Mohamed Salah is number one,” Scarles said when the topic turned to toughest opponents. “He’s strong, he’s quick, he’s agile, and you can see that in the stats that he got last season.
“I’d have to say probably Pedro Neto. I didn’t play long against him when we played Chelsea away last season, but he’s very quick, has fast feet, and is a very good player.
“Jacob Murphy [of Newcastle United] deserves a mention, too!”
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