Glenn: Reserves Coming On

Glenn Roeder says that he is more than happy with the progress of the reserve team this season.

Coach Roger Cross has tended to field younger sides - such as the one that won against Nottingham Forest last week - and Glenn says: "I was really pleased with the reserve team beating Forest 3-0. There were some very promising performances from the young players.

"The reserve team at the moment looks how you want it to be. Full of your own players, ones that you have produced yourself, and not full of trialists and people that don't really want to be at your club - which sometimes we have had to put up with."

Although Elliot Ward misses the Southampton game through injury, he usually partners Anton Ferdinand at the back.

"The reason I let Izzie Iriekpen, who was doing well in the reserves, go to Leyton Orient on loan was because it allowed Anton Ferdinand to play," says Glenn.

"We are also very fortunate to have a very experienced goalkeeper in Raimond van der Gouw behind them and he really talks the two youngsters through the game now.

"That is their side with the two second year trainees playing week in week out in the reserves and hopefully we can bring them on that bit quicker playing in that company, because it is a good standard.

"They are really fully stretched and tested and it is where they should be now.

"Phil Lumsden played at left back in his first game recently for the reserves and didn't do too badly at all.

"And it was fantastic for Tommy Laws, a first year trainee, to come on at right back against Forest. I counted him being on the ball six or seven times in 18 minutes or so - and he never wasted a ball.

"I am really pleased for him, and the future is really looking good at youth team and Academy level."

Glenn is also delighted with the work being done below reserve team level and adds: "I do take a big interest in the Academy because I can't tell you how important I think it is to the football club.

"I take a genuine interest in it and try to get to know as many names as possible, right the way down to the 12 and 13 year olds.

"What I have seen with my own eyes, and from what Jimmy Hampson, Tony Carr, and Kevin Keen tell me, there are lots of very promising players in the Academy at the moment who will one day wear the first team shirt.

"It goes without saying that we would want them to stay with us. I would argue, and I have got the statistics to back up my argument, that if I was a parent of any outstanding young player, certainly where we are in the south east, West Ham is the place where I would want my young son to have his football education.

"Our record of getting players through to the first team is second to none - we put them in the first team while others only think about it - we ask them the question."