Nathan Trott is already speaking the same language as his new goalkeeper coach Xavi Valero!
West Ham United’s promising England U20 international stopper is learning Spanish and is enjoying the opportunity to hone his linguistic skills with Valero, who has joined the Hammers as a member of Manuel Pellegrini’s backroom staff.
Trott is also enjoying the experience of working under the former Liverpool and Real Madrid coach, whose enjoyably goalkeeping drills are keeping the teenager, Adrian and fellow teenagers Joseph Anang and Daniel Jinadu on their toes.
They are a different type of training sessions, everyone has been in enjoying them and they’re fun to be involved in, even though they’re hard work as well!
Nathan Trott
“Xavi is a really nice guy and really intense,” Trott, 19, confirmed. “I think he likes to have fun as well, so it’s a really good mix. He’s also Spanish, so I get to practice my Spanish with him as well.
“He’s a really nice guy, is easy to talk to and gives you a lot of pointers during the training sessions, so he’s a really good coach.
“Overall, it’s a really nice place to start pre-season, it’s a really nice environment, everyone’s in good spirits and it’s always good to get back out there and work.
“The sessions have been really good. They are a different type of training sessions, everyone has been in enjoying them and they’re fun to be involved in, even though they’re hard work as well!”
Trott also wants to use the opportunity of West Ham’s pre-season training camp in Switzerland to make a first-team squad place his own.
With new signing Lukasz Fabianski not joining up with the Hammers for a few weeks after his FIFA World Cup duty with Poland, the Bermuda-born gloveman will back-up Adrian and is set to be handed a chance to play in West Ham’s opening warm-up fixture against FC Winterthur on Sunday.
“It’s good to be here because it gave me a chance to show myself to the new coaching staff, so hopefully I’ve impressed.”
Whatever happens over the next couple of weeks, Trott will start the season as West Ham’s third-choice between the sticks and likely U23 starter.
However, the ambitious goalkeeper is eager to experience first-team football if the Club are willing to send him out on loan.
“There is quite a lot of competition here with two really good Premier League goalkeepers with a lot of experience, so there will be a lot of things to learn from both of them. Just getting to know them a lot more by being involved with the first team means hopefully I can get a few things from them.
“It’s tough as a goalkeeper, because they have hundreds of Premier League appearances between, whereas I am just coming up the ranks to first-team football and if you’re not the number one, you know you’re not going to play at all.
“So, the next step for me is to either go on loan to experience first-team football or stay here and further my development.
“Hopefully I can continue my form from last season into this season and get some more England caps, hopefully with the U21s, and keep up my good run from last year.”