West Ham United scout and former Hammers and Chelsea winger Peter Brabrook previews Wednesday's game
Hello everyone,
Having played for both West Ham United and Chelsea, these are always special games for me, but this one is even more special as West Ham are having a fantastic season and Chelsea are topping the league. It should be a good game and an interesting game as well.
I played for both clubs and had a successful time with both. I started out at Chelsea with a team that won the title in 1955, when I was just 17 and I broke into the side and played a few games that year. That was special.
I was one of Drake’s Ducklings as one of a number of youngsters all introduced at the same time at Chelsea and was lucky enough to play alongside Ron Greenwood.
Ron then went to West Ham and signed me in 1962 and I had a great time here. It was similar here, with young players coming through and playing brilliant football. It was probably the best side West Ham has ever had with Moore, Hurst and Peters speaking for themselves.
We should have won more, but we didn’t. We did end up winning the FA Cup in 1964 and European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965, so we can’t complain too much.
Looking at Wednesday’s game and West Ham have changed things around unbelievably from last season. We didn’t have a particularly good year last year, but the quality of football and our form this season has been really good. Let’s hope we can progress and push on.
This is a great Club and we should be in the top half of the Premier League every season.
One player who has been outstanding is Aaron Cresswell and he is someone I watched a number of times in my role as a Club scout.
I cover the Championship regularly and watched Aaron in a few games and he has come into the side and done what we thought he was going to do and been a massive success. Full marks to him for coming out of the Championship, because it is a massive jump, and coming and doing exceptionally well.
He has come in and handled himself well and got on with it and he will be a star man at this football club.
Having played for both West Ham United and Chelsea, these are always special games for me, but this one is even more special as West Ham are having a fantastic season and Chelsea are topping the league. It should be a good game and an interesting game as well.
I played for both clubs and had a successful time with both. I started out at Chelsea with a team that won the title in 1955, when I was just 17 and I broke into the side and played a few games that year. That was special.
I was one of Drake’s Ducklings as one of a number of youngsters all introduced at the same time at Chelsea and was lucky enough to play alongside Ron Greenwood.
Ron then went to West Ham and signed me in 1962 and I had a great time here. It was similar here, with young players coming through and playing brilliant football. It was probably the best side West Ham has ever had with Moore, Hurst and Peters speaking for themselves.
We should have won more, but we didn’t. We did end up winning the FA Cup in 1964 and European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965, so we can’t complain too much.
Looking at Wednesday’s game and West Ham have changed things around unbelievably from last season. We didn’t have a particularly good year last year, but the quality of football and our form this season has been really good. Let’s hope we can progress and push on.
This is a great Club and we should be in the top half of the Premier League every season.
One player who has been outstanding is Aaron Cresswell and he is someone I watched a number of times in my role as a Club scout.
I cover the Championship regularly and watched Aaron in a few games and he has come into the side and done what we thought he was going to do and been a massive success. Full marks to him for coming out of the Championship, because it is a massive jump, and coming and doing exceptionally well.
He has come in and handled himself well and got on with it and he will be a star man at this football club.
I am still enjoying my scouting work and getting up and down the motorways. I’m 77 now, but it keeps my brain ticking over and keeps me lively! As long as I am capable of doing it health-wise, I’ll carry on looking for players for this football club.
As for Chelsea, Jose Mourinho is in his second season back as manager and he is a different class. He is a magic manager and a magic man and he just makes it work. He’s got a group of players there who are winners, want to win and want to work hard.
Not only can they play, but people under-estimate what they do when they haven’t got the ball, which is work. That’s something Jose has instilled in them and if you combine hard work with quality, you’ve got every chance of winning matches.
Being a winger myself, Eden Hazard is the player I enjoy watching above all others at Chelsea and he is superb. He’s probably the best player in the Premier League, I would say. I love watching him because he’s a complete footballer with brilliant tricks.
I’m wearing my West Ham hat on Wednesday, though, so hopefully we can keep him quiet!
Enjoy the game.
Peter Brabrook
As for Chelsea, Jose Mourinho is in his second season back as manager and he is a different class. He is a magic manager and a magic man and he just makes it work. He’s got a group of players there who are winners, want to win and want to work hard.
Not only can they play, but people under-estimate what they do when they haven’t got the ball, which is work. That’s something Jose has instilled in them and if you combine hard work with quality, you’ve got every chance of winning matches.
Being a winger myself, Eden Hazard is the player I enjoy watching above all others at Chelsea and he is superb. He’s probably the best player in the Premier League, I would say. I love watching him because he’s a complete footballer with brilliant tricks.
I’m wearing my West Ham hat on Wednesday, though, so hopefully we can keep him quiet!
Enjoy the game.
Peter Brabrook