Joe Cole: Jarrod Bowen is already West Ham United ‘club legend’
Joe Cole has raved about Jarrod Bowen claiming the West Ham United winger is already a “club legend” and can go down as one of the Irons’ greats.
The 26-year-old has been in incredible form so far this season, having scored six goals and assisted once in nine Premier League appearances and has recently signed a new seven-year contract at the London Stadium to commit his future to David Moyes’ side.
While the England international was left out of the Hammers’ starting XI against Olympiacos in the Europa League on Thursday (26 October) Cole was keen to heap praise on Bowen and believes that he can get even better at West Ham.
Speaking on TNT Sport (26 October, 17:19) he said: “I remember speaking to him, maybe this time last year, I was interviewing him and I was just struck. He was asking me questions before he played for England and straight away then I knew that he was a top player because I watched him play and anybody could see that.
“I just thought, he’s just going to keep getting better. He was 25 at the time and he wanted to learn and he’s just kept on going from Prague, he’s one of the most inform players in the league and I think it’s fantastic he’s signed his deal.
“I think he’s being humble saying it’s a long way to go to be a club legend. All those boys on that night are club legends. But Jarrod has got the ability to put his name, if he continues this form, next to anyone at West Ham.
“He’s such a humble lad and such a talented boy and you can’t help but want him to do well.”
Some praise
Bowen has been on the receiving end of plenty of praise so far this season and deservedly so as the Hammers winger is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, but Cole’s praise live on air may be a level above anything we’ve heard before.
It’s fair to dub those who played in Prague club legends as they bought a European title to West Ham, but to predict that Bowen could join the ranks alongside the likes of Bobby Moore, Paulo Di Canio, Geoff Hurst and Billy Bonds is a huge statement.
But if the 26-year-old spends the next seven years consistently scoring and impressing in claret and blue, Cole could well be right as that would have seen the former Hull winger impress for more than a decade at the London Stadium.
Hopefully, Bowen can continue to hit the heights that he’s registered so far this season for the next few seasons and match the expectations the likes of Cole have placed on his head. Luckily he’s an incredibly humble man and the praise won’t have impacted him too much.
In other West Ham news, Moyes could repeat his Jesse Lingard heroics should the Hammers move to sign Jadon Sancho in January