Glenn On Garcia

Glenn Roeder is tipping Richard Garcia to be the next player to come through the youth ranks at Upton Park.

The young Aussie was on the bench on Wednesday night and, although he didn't get a run out, Glenn predicts his future is bright.

But he says that patience is the key, explaining:

"The gap is absolutely huge; there are very few Michael Carricks, Joe Coles, Rio Ferdinands, and Frank Lampards.

"Some make the jump in their teenage years but sometimes it takes longer to come up to the standard because there is such a high level expected.

"Richard Garcia played in the FA Cup youth winning team, the same as Joe and Michael, and he is a player we still have got high hopes for.

"He has certainly improved in the last six months and we have kept him with the first team; come this time next year hopefully he will have played a few games for them."

Glenn feels it is just a question of Richard, who is out of contract at the end of the season, just biding his time, and he adds:

"That is the way it is going to be for Richard, but it is certainly not a problem for me, and not for him.

"I have got the patience to wait, and as long as progress is shown that is the main thing - a lot has been made, and he very rarely has a poor game for the reserves.

"When he trains with the first team he never looks out of place, and I'm sure it is only a matter of time before he starts for the first team.

"He came on against Leeds and had a very small run out; that was really his debut and he thoroughly enjoyed himself."

As for the transfer stories doing the rounds, Glenn says:

"It is all speculation; we are certainly not in the market at the moment to be able to spend big money. "It is really a case of looking for a couple of quality loans but it is proving particularly frustrating.

"The quality just doesn't seem to be there - but you never know what tomorrow brings."