West Ham have made a move to strengthen their academy setup and have secured a new backroom appointment.
The Hammers have prided themselves on producing talented youngsters who have gone on to represent the first team.
In order to ensure the West Ham academy is functioning at the optimum level, it is essential to make timely appointments and bring in the right people at the right time.
West Ham United appoint Brian Saah as the Academy Recruitment Manager
West Ham United have roped in Brian Saah as the Academy Recruitment Manager, according to the West Ham Way.
He is set to work from the Under-9s level right to the Under-16s level.
Saah had a similar role at EFL League One club Leyton Orient and he has left that to move to the London Stadium.
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At Orient, he served as the Head of Academy Recruitment.
Prior to that, he was also the Lead PDF Coach there and spent over seven years before moving to the Hammers.
The 38-year-old spent a decade and a half as a professional footballer before moving to a behind-the-scenes role.
What will Saah’s role be at West Ham United?
Saah will no doubt play an important role in ensuring that youngsters between nine and 16 have all that is needed for them to establish a professional career in football.
He will identify and attract the best players in that age group and make sure that the coaches at West Ham United are able to hone their skills.
There is a possibility that Saah builds a scouting network for the best pockets of talent not just in the United Kingdom, but nearby European countries.
Having spent over two decades in the game, the Englishman will have built a wide range of contacts and he will look to make the most of them.
Hammers fans have taken great pride in producing a world-class player like Declan Rice, so Saah’s mission should be to bring through many such players over the coming years.
It remains to be seen whether or not he brings any other specialists with him from Leyton or other clubs.
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