West Ham United fans have been calling for some of their young talent to get a chance, but under David Moyes they will need to justify the hype.
During Slaven Bilic’s tenure at West Ham United, one of the fans’ biggest frustrations emanated from his failure to give the club’s talented teenagers a chance.
Despite having some of the best young talent in the country, the former Hammers boss stuck with tried and tested – if under-performing – alternatives week after week, and he ultimately paid with his job.
Now David Moyes has the chance to do what his predecessor could not and, having already run the rule over the likes of Toni Martinez, it seems some of West Ham’s young guns will get chances in the months ahead. The thing is: now they have to justify the hype.
It is one thing bossing the under-23s and quite another performing in the English top flight, and it will be interesting to see how Martinez and his fellow young West Ham players perform.
Of all the club’s second string stars, the 20-year-old is arguably most ready for semi-regular first-team football, but he is not the only one hoping for chances, with the likes of Nathan Holland, Martin Samuelsen and Domingos Quina waiting in the wings.
Often young players flourish in adversity and having a new manager to impress could well be another motivating factor.
This bunch have the innate talent; now they need to nous to ensure they are next big things rather than flashes in the proverbial pan.
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