Self-confidence is key for any young striker trying to make their way in the game and it’s certainly not in short supply for West Ham starlet Callum Marshall.
The awful job done by Graham Potter at West Ham has become increasingly clear in just one week under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Hammers fans had grown sick and tired of the weak, passive, insipid performances from Potter’s team.
Almost as much as they had reached the end of their tether with the mild-mannered head coach’s lack of passion and oomph.
It has taken Nuno one week to show West Ham are perfectly capable of being more aggressive, defensively resolute and organised.
Nuno does more in a week at West Ham than Potter in months
The Portuguese has also been a breath of fresh air with his interviews, press conferences, approach and team selection.
Watching Potter’s team had become hell for Hammers supporters.
The Englishman somehow made West Ham worse than they were under the hapless Julen Lopetegui.
But Nuno came in and promised he would make things hell for the opposition when he gets the Irons firing.
A host of West Ham stars are all saying the same thing about Nuno in the wake of the 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.
The general consensus of opinion among Hammers supporters is that West Ham would have taken a battering by Arsenal if Potter was still the manager.
Despite offering little going forward, West Ham fans were encouraged by what they saw from their team after the 1-1 draw at Everton in Nuno’s first game in charge.
Potter came in at West Ham promising to give Academy players their big chance in the team.
Beyond a brief spell in the team for Ollie Scarles at the start of his tenure, Potter went back on his word like so many before him.
Scarles was dumped as was Freddie Potts after spending all of pre-season starting under Potter.
Potter insisted West Ham did not need to sign another striker in addition to ageing Callum Wilson.
That is already coming back to bite the Hammers.
West Ham star Marshall aims dig at Potter after getting chance
And despite the fact West Ham look painfully slow and immobile up front, young Northern Ireland striker Callum Marshall was ignored by Potter too, again despite impressing in pre-season.
Now Marshall has finally been given the chance he’s been waiting for — and he’s clearly got a point to make.
The West Ham star appeared to aim a not-so-subtle dig at Potter after breaking through, hinting at past frustrations and a determination to prove himself.
Nuno snubbed Wilson in favour of Marshall when he withdrew the abysmal Fullkrug in the defeat to Arsenal.
Playing up front for West Ham in that game was a bit of a thankless task.
But Marshall did more in his bright cameo than Fullkrug has managed in the last two games combined.
The 20-year-old looked sharp, hungry and willing to press as he tried to make a nuisance of himself at the Emirates.
Marshall even went close to scoring when he got above William Saliba and Gabriel to get a header off.
Speaking in the wake of his Premier League bow, Marshall made a point of saying his first taste of the action is long overdue.
Marshall made it clear he felt he should have been used sooner, especially having been on the bench so often under Potter.
In a further dig at Potter, Marshall also raved about Nuno and vowed to try and repay the new head coach so he gets more opportunities in the future.
Marshall thanks Nuno and says Hammers bow was long overdue
“This is what I want to do, so I’m happy that the new manager has given me my (Premier League) debut and hopefully there’s more to come,” Marshall told West Ham TV.
“It’s been a long time coming, so I’m just happy that I got on the pitch. I’ve been on the bench a few times now. I was on the bench when David Moyes was here and then a couple of times under Graham Potter, but this is obviously the first time I’ve got on, so I’m just thankful to the gaffer.
“Obviously, he hasn’t seen much of me yet, but hopefully in the weeks to come when I get back from Northern Ireland duty, then hopefully he’ll get to see more of me and I can show him that I can affect games and bring a bit of energy, which I tried to do today, but it was a hard game to affect in the way the game was going…
“Hopefully, if I get on again, I’ll put the ball in the back of the net and finally become a Premier League goalscorer.”
Fair play to young Marshall for speaking up.
Potter deserves to be called out for some of his spineless actions during his dismal eight months in charge.
It transmitted to the team’s performances but already the Hammers are reflecting the passion and aggression of the new manager, who is not afraid to make bold decisions.
Marshall is going to get more chances too because Nuno has said he likes what he has seen from the enthusiastic young striker in training.
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