West Ham United clinched promotion back to the top flight at the weekend, beating Blackpool in the play-offs.
Truth be told, the whole squad will want to make an impression next season, but we have picked out five players who will want to make their impact felt the most.
Kevin Nolan
When he moved from Newcastle to play in the Championship with West Ham, Nolan was generally viewed as too good for the division. It hasn’t always seemed like that, despite a good goals return, which was always expected. Nonetheless, he will be aiming to show that he still has what it takes to cut it in the top flight, and will be 30 when the season kicks off. Most of all, he will want to show Newcastle United that they should have put up more of a fight to keep him. The Toon were all too happy to let him go, as they sought to reinvent their midfield, and it looks a good decision, judging by their fifth placed finish. Nolan will want to show he has plenty of quality football left in him yet.
Ricardo Vaz Te
Vaz Te was only a promising youngster when he played in the Premier League with Bolton, but he was viewed as too raw, and was cast aside to hone his trade in the Championship. This season he has been a revelation, first for Barnsley, and then for West Ham after signing in January. He will have his eye on transitioning that star quality to the Premier League, more successfully than Adel Taarabt, who struggled to make an impact for QPR despite a standout Championship campaign the year before. He will believe he is ready, and next year will be his stage, and he will be desperate to prove it.
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Carlton Cole
Cole scored just five goals in his last Premier League season, and turned in some wretched performances near the end. He looks to have got his confidence back, and will want to show the kind of form that saw him win an England cap in 2010. At 28, this is no time to be talking about potential, he has to go out there and prove that he is West Ham’s top man, get in the faces of Premier League defences and restore his reputation.
James Tomkins
23-year-old James Tomkins had a tough time of it in 2010-11, playing in a West Ham side which under Avram Grant were low on confidence. As a young centre-back the experience could have damaged his career, but he has had a fine time of it at Upton Park this season, becoming a regular – making 44 appearances compared to 28 the year before. He signed a four and a half year deal in January to fend off speculated bids from QPR and Newcastle. While his promotion proves he was right not to jump ship, he will also want to show the rest of the league what they missed out on, a more matured and better player than the one that left.
Ravel Morrison
Young tearaway Ravel Morrison is still to make a first team start for West Ham after signing from Manchester United in January, playing just nine minutes of football. When and if he is given his chance, he will be determined to seize it. Now back in the Premier League he has the stage to show the world his talent, and that United were wrong to choose to let him go. If he knuckles down in pre-season and shows just how keen he is to play, first tea opportunities won’t be far away.
Who do you think will have the biggest impact for West Ham next season?
image: © Matthew Black
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