Armstrong Okoflex is in outstanding form for West Ham United’s U23 side but manager Dmitri Halajko is still expecting more from the Premier League 2 whizz-kid, as he told the club’s official website.
The fleet-footed Irishman has already donned three most iconic shirts in British football; the red and white of Arsenal, the green hoops of Celtic and, now, the claret-and-blue of West Ham.
Not bad for a man who won’t even turn 20 for another five months.
But, after making just two first-team appearances in the colours of Arsenal and Celtic, it could be a classic case of ‘third time lucky’ for Okoflex.
The free-scoring winger scored a hat-trick on his West Ham debut back in August – against old employers Arsenal no less – and, for the most part, has maintained that form over the last two-and-a-half months.
Finding the net once again during Monday’s 2-1 defeat to Leicester City, Okoflex now has eight goals in 11 games for the London giants – including four in his last four.
Do West Ham have a future star in Armstrong Okoflex?
“It was a really good finish,” Halajko said of Okoflex’s latest strike.
“It was an instinctive one where he didn’t have much chance to think about it.
“He had some other opportunities where he maybe thought too much about it and could have got his shot off earlier, because I think, on another day, he’d get more than just the one.
“The goal he scored was a great finish and he’s in great form, and I expect him to score many more this season.”
With Ben Johnson now a regular fixture in David Moyes’ squad – and with Dan Chesters making his senior debut during the recent Europa League thumping of KRC Genk – it seems only a matter of time before Okoflex, who turned down Newcastle over the summer, is rewarded for an outstanding start to life at West Ham.
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