Unfurled across that long strip of astroturf between the pitch and the dugout at the London Stadium, just as it was at Upton Park, is a touchline mat which proudly reads: “The Academy of Football. Founded in 1895.”
That self-anointed nickname for West Ham’s youth system reflects the club’s history of producing and trusting young players, from Bobby Moore through the Frank Lampards (Sr and Jr) and, more latterly, Declan Rice. It is a tradition that, in his first two months at the helm, Graham Potter has already leaned into.
Potter has named centre-back Kaelan Casey, 20, on the bench for five of his nine games; handed midfielder Lewis Orford, 19, his Premier League debut and a subsequent cameo at Stamford Bridge; and played left wing-back Ollie Scarles, 19, in every match. Scarles is ahead of Casey and Orford in the pecking order right now.
“We’re just going to monitor them,” Potter said of Casey and Orford this week. “We’ve got players coming back from injury, so there’s good competition, but they train well and are there and thereabouts, pushing.” “Pushing” is an understatement —they are champing at the bit for greater involvement. Potter should oblige, for three distinct reasons.
The first concerns West Ham’s situation. Julen Lopetegui’s reign was a seven-month false dawn. Out of the cups and treading water in the league, the rest of the campaign serves as little more than an extended pre-season for next. The stakes now less, why not back youth?
Secondly, with an average age of 28, West Ham boast the oldest squad in the top flight. It’s not something to brag about. Though capable players, Edson Alvarez (27), James Ward-Prowse (30) and Tomas Soucek (30) were too easily bypassed in midfield in Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle. Time to throw Orford in, given he’s shining for the U21s?
I can’t thank Graham enough. He’s shown faith in all of us and given us minutes — that’s what we’ve wanted for a while.
Ollie Scarles
Aaron Cresswell, 35, is out of contract this summer yet starting in Potter’s back-three each week. Might it be shrewder to trust Casey instead?
The squad badly needs rejuvenating. After many a faux pas in last summer’s transfer market, led by former technical director Tim Steidten, the affordable solution is to look within.
Finally, as West Ham have always believed, if you’re good enough you’re old enough.
Besides the aforementioned three are George Earthy (Bristol City, aged 20), Callum Marshall (Huddersfield, 20) and Freddie Potts (Portsmouth, 21), all impressing out on loan.
Here is a generation who proved their potential when they won the FA Youth Cup two seasons ago, thrashing Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Arsenal 5-1 in the final. Scarles, Orford, Casey, Marshall and Earthy started as the Hammers won the prestigious U18s competition for the first time since the cohort of Joe Cole and Michael Carrick in 1999.
Last month, Scarles and Nwaneri met again, in the Premier League, when the West Ham teenager put in a brilliant display in a 1-0 win over Arsenal. Jarrod Bowen said Scarles had played like a man of 400 games, not eight, while Potter called it an “amazing” display before reminding himself to “calm it down” about a player still in his formative years.
England manager Thomas Tuchel was sat in the stands with West Ham sporting director Mark Noble on Monday. Too early, for sure, yet Tuchel will have taken note of a tireless 90-minute showing.
“Since the manager has come in, it’s been unbelievable,” Scarles tells Standard Sport. “I can’t thank Graham enough. Defensively, my game has really come on. I think I can become a very important player. He’s always happy to pull you aside, give pointers and tips. That relationship makes you feel part of the team.
“He’s shown faith in all of us and given us minutes — that’s what we’ve wanted for a while.”
Orford hails from nearby Upminster, Casey from Thurrock. Spotted by West Ham aged five, they joined the academy at eight. “I don’t really know anything else apart from West Ham,” Orford has said. As well as key figures in the club’s future, they should increasingly be part of its present.
