Everyone at West Ham United’s famed Academy of Football returned to pre-season training at Chadwell Heath last week with a spring in their step following last season’s success.
In May, Academy Director Terry Westley guided his U23 side to Premier League 2 promotion via the play-offs, silverware which followed the previous campaign’s Premier League Cup triumph.
Meanwhile, young stars Domingos Quina and Declan Rice both made their first team debuts, as the likes of Alex Pike, Marcus Browne, Moses Makasi and Nathan Holland were included on Slaven Bilic’s substitutes’ bench for Premier League matchdays.
The U18s also enjoyed a fine term under the guidance of coaches Steve Potts and Mark Phillips, qualifying for Division One of the Premier League’s youth league after a terrific first half of the season.
And as the players reported back to training last Monday morning, Westley was pleased to confirm spirits were high.
“Everyone’s back with a smile on their face,” he said. “We ended the season with a terrific performance at Newcastle and we’ve played very well now for two years.
“I think most people in our league felt that we were one of the best teams and should have been around promotion last season. It was well deserved.
“The captain Declan Rice led by example, and he’s now away with the first team. It shows what a great season in the Academy can do. He’s really one to watch this year – he could be a surprise to everyone.
It’s a talented group and we’re really looking forward to the opportunities which will present themselves to us this season
Terry Westley
“The others who are with the first team – the likes of Reece Burke – have got to follow that, too. Then you’ve got Reece Oxford who has started over at Borussia Monchengladbach; Nathan Trott is with England U19s at the European Championships; Domingos Quina is with Portugal at the same competition.
“It’s a talented group and we’re really looking forward to the opportunities which will present themselves to us this season.”
The U23s will face a rigorous campaign in 2017/18, testing themselves against the likes of Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in PL2 Division One, while they will also compete against European sides in the Premier League International Cup.
An intense pre-season schedule in preparation for the campaign is therefore necessary, and Westley believes this summer has just that in store for the youngsters.
“We keep throwing challenges in front of the U23s and making it tough. This summer, we have two games on tour in Slovakia against clubs in the Europa League, then we have got Colchester, Barnet and Dagenham’s first teams.
“That’s a Championship pre-season. But that’s the level we want this team to reach. We’ve said to the players, pre-season is again a real chance for players to prove themselves.
“We’ve sat down and had a meeting with all of them, even the ones now away with the first team, and whether you’re challenging to get on loan, or challenging to get a number with Slaven’s group and be in the first team, or challenging to get in Steve and Mark’s U18 team, you have got to work hard.
“They’ve got to show that they’re playing at that level.”