Time heals all wounds, as they say. So while Gerhard Struber was ‘sad’ to see George Earthy return to West Ham United following his loan spell at Bristol City, all the Ashton Gate head coach had to do was wait.
Mere hours after Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed West Ham’s plan to send the England Under-21 international out on loan once again, Bristol City’s 2024/25 Young Player of the Year found himself returning to very familiar surroundings.
Much to Struber’s delight.
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The former Barnsley and New York Red Bulls coach was looking forward to working with George Earthy when replacing his Ashton Gate predecessor Liam Manning at the end of last season. That was, however, until he realised that Earthy was not actually a permanent member of the Robins’ nest. Rather, a talented young midfielder owned and grown by West Ham United.
Struber’s summer disappointment would turn into January joy, though.
Gerhard Struber delighted to have West Ham United’s George Earthy back at Bristol City
Earthy produced an assist on his Bristol City return in last week’s 5-1 FA Cup third-round thrashing of Watford.
During the first half of the campaign, Earthy was racking up the goal contributions for West Ham’s Under-21s, unlocking defences at will and running the show like a man against – sometimes literal – boys.
For Struber, a coach who built his reputation upon the foundations of a ferociously high-pressing style, Earthy’s output out of possession is just as important his vision and creativity with the ball at his feet.
“I was a little bit sad in the summer when I realised, ‘Oh, the player goes back to West Ham,'” Struber told Bristol Live before Saturday’s trip to relegation-threatened Oxford United. “I knew him already well, so I was not in a good mood when I heard that!
“[Earthy’s eventual return] makes us better. He gives us [some] different qualities.
“A top ‘gegenpressing monster’. And also in on-ball moments, I think with the centre of gravity that he has, with his turns, [he’s] a really interesting player.
“[Against Watford] he was in, every action, really, really good.”
Earthy looking forward to regular football again as Lucas Paqueta opens a door for him
Earthy averaged fewer than one tackle or interception per game during his previous spell in the Championship. It will be interesting to see what sort of an impact Struber’s coaching has on his defensive output.
Nuno welcomed Paco Jemez to Rush Green on Thursday.
Former Rayo Vallecano boss Jemez is adored by Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique due to his iconic possession-heavy, high-pressing system. So presuming Earthy returns to West Ham in the summer looking to nail down a first-team spot – Lucas Paqueta’s likely departure certainly leaves the door ajar – the London-born 21-year-old will spend much of 2026 honing his talents under two coaches who demand high levels of defensive discipline from their forward players.
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“The place feels like home and so I am really happy to be back,” Earthy said during his unveiling last week. “I am really looking forward to seeing the fans again. I have always been thinking about [my chant] since I left.
“They were so good to me, it is special to be back, and I cannot wait to get back in front of them again.”
In other news, West Ham re-called Kaelan Casey from a spell at Swansea City on Thursday. This came just one week after Junior Robinson’s Livingston loan was terminated after just one Scottish Premiership outing north of the border.
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