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Time for a Tryout for West Ham Academy Players

By Jeremiah Carson

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 24: Xande Silva of West Ham United fouls Julio Pleguezuelo of Arsenal during the Premier League 2 game between West Ham United and Arsenal at London Stadium on August 24, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 24: Xande Silva of West Ham United fouls Julio Pleguezuelo of Arsenal during the Premier League 2 game between West Ham United and Arsenal at London Stadium on August 24, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images) /
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It is hard to fathom that we are over a third of the way through the Premier League season already and just a few games until the January transfer window.  Regardless if you are happy, upset, or content with the current status of the Hammers (14th with 12 points) one thing that needs to be on the back of everyone minds, and usually happens this time of the year, is the planning of who to keep, sell, or loan out.

It’s not ideal to be in 14th at the moment but I do think it is time for a tryout for West Ham Academy players and decide who to keep and or loan out. Here are my best picks to make first team appearances:

The Academy

When talking about the Academy of Football it is hard for me to pinpoint one or maybe two players that stand out – definitely not a bad problem to have.  With that being said, when looking at the current squad and their age or position brings me to a few names of players that I would love to see get the nod to start and see if we should keep them or loan them out.

Nathan Trott

Trott has been West Ham’s famous Academy since the 15/16 season joining up in January of 2016.  It is hard for me to believe that he is still only 20 with as much as we’ve heard and seen of him since he joined.  Besides his youth, he is a very mobile and agile keeper that already shows glimpses of veteran type technique.  Trott is also a key piece for the youth squads of the English National team.

My hope is that we can keep Łukasz Fabiański for at least a few more seasons giving Trott time to grow and get chances under him.  I hope to see Trott at least crack into the bench and maybe even give him a chance in one of the easier games coming up before January.  With that, I hope we don’t loan him out unless it’s a top Championship club that will play him on a regular basis.

Xande Silva

Silva is one of West Ham’s newest members of the Academy and one the first to come in and immediately show results.  His Premier League 2 debut resulted in a hat-trick and he hasn’t really looked back besides a few injury setbacks.  At 21 years of age, it is time to see what this youngster can do to shock the world.  West Ham have a bevy of forwards that can be used ahead of him but my hope is that they can try him out to test his abilities and maybe at worse send him on a loan spell either to his home country Portugal or somewhere in the Championship.

Nathan Holland

Holland only being 20 has had quite the career already.  He has been on England’s U16 through U19 teams prior to joining and he has a bit of history behind him as he scored the first ever U23 goal at the London Stadium.  A solid Winger in his own right, he needs a chance to show if he is ready or not.  The question isn’t if he can do it, but rather when will he get his chance.

With his pace I know he can contend with the fastest in the EPL but I am still not sure if this is the season.  I hope he gets another shot to crack into the lineup and stay there consistently.  I hope his name is a name that can be on our team sheets for years to come.  Like the others, if he must get loaned I hope it’s to either a Championship team or someone like Portsmouth who is challenging in League One for promotion.

Conor Coventry

Let’s be honest for a second, before this season and maybe last did the name Conor Coventry mean anything to you?  For most of us no and to be honest me included.  He won the Dylan Tombides Award last season for the most outstanding Academy player.  At 18, he has years and years ahead of him but I hope we can get a glimpse of him before loaning him out.

He is thriving in the U23s but I want to see what he has at the top levels.  If loaned this winter, I hope that one he gets matches to play in and two that it’s a club either in the Championship or some other country that is considered top tier in the World of Football.

Next. Near perfect evening as West Ham’s U23 team wins 3-1. dark

I am curious to see the outcome of these four names on my list and the rest of the Academy.  I truly want to see West Ham’s Academy of Football return to what it was in the past.  Regardless of the player and how much they cost I will always enjoy watching youth and homegrown over high paid possibilities.  Keep an eye out for these youngsters and COME ON YOU IRONS!