West Ham United closing in on academy manager appointment
West Ham United’s search for a new academy manager is “narrowing” with the club hoping to fill the vacancy soon according to West Ham Way.
The Irons have been on the lookout for a new academy chief after Ricky Martin departed the club to become first-team technical director at Stoke City.
West Ham Way suggest (1 November) the Hammers have been looking both internally and externally when looking to fill the vacancy.
Important position
This is a really important role for the club hierarchy to get right, with the academy a rich part of the club’s history and hopefully a crucial tool for the Irons to use going forward. The development of youth players can enable an endless stream of income for the club, as well as the chance to improve David Moyes’ first team.
West Ham’s hierarchy will be desperate for there not to be a repeat of their best young talent departing the club, with Sonny Perkins’ departure to Leeds United, a well-documented failure from the Irons in the summer. Harrison Ashby is another young player who is currently locked in contract negotiations, with an exit potentially on the cards for the full-back.
It’s been suggested by Six Foot Two (15 October), that Ashby could well have been omitted from recent Premier League Two squads due to his contract stand-off with the Hammers. Whoever does take the academy reigns must ensure they prevent such instances from occurring again.
Fans should certainly keep an eye out for an announcement soon, with this being an appointment the Hammers cannot afford to get wrong.