Reece Oxford will have learnt a lot from his record-setting debut, says Academy Manager Terry Westley
Terry Westley believes Reece Oxford will only learn from his UEFA Europa League baptism.
The Academy Manager handed the 16-year-old his first-team debut in Thursday’s 3-0 victory over Andorran club FC Lusitans at a sold-out Boleyn Ground.
Oxford looked the part in an unaccustomed central midfield role, and Westley says the ball-playing centre-back will benefit from the experience in the long term, but should not get carried away by his success.
“He did look the part, we can be a little bit tougher with him now,” said the Academy Manager, who has overseen the development of a host of top-class players during his coaching career. “The nonsense is over, he’s played. He was too slow on the ball a few times, he should have moved it quicker, but he picked it out of the air a few times, played some good balls forward and looked a good player.
“You play people of that quality in midfield to quicken their feet up. When they play at the back you have more time, so there was a method in the madness, it was an ideal time to do it. The more we can accelerate his progress the better. He did OK, but no more than OK.
“I think any young player [needs first team experience]… he’s only 16. The average age in the Premier League is 24, and rising, so he’s got quite a few years on him. But Thursday night would have helped him a lot. There aren’t many 16-year-olds who can do what he did out there. We’ve got a player on our hands, that’s for sure.”
Westley revealed that new manager Slaven Bilic had visited the Hammers’ dressing room before kick-off to present Oxford – West Ham’s youngest-ever player at 16 years 198 days – and fellow debutant Lewis Page with their match shirts.
“The manager has flown back from a training camp in Ireland, got here this afternoon and spent all afternoon with the players. He was in the dressing room for the team talk.
“We presented two players, Page and Oxford, with their debut shirts. The manager and the chairmen gave the talk and said: ‘Wear these shirts with pride and honour. You’re following in the footsteps of some outstanding players, Hurst, Moore, Lampard, Ferdinand. It’s times for you to have your legacy’. The manager did that, he was very respectful of the game.
“He’s just been in with the players now after the game, he was very pleased with the result, with how we played and how we moved the ball.”
The Academy Manager handed the 16-year-old his first-team debut in Thursday’s 3-0 victory over Andorran club FC Lusitans at a sold-out Boleyn Ground.
Oxford looked the part in an unaccustomed central midfield role, and Westley says the ball-playing centre-back will benefit from the experience in the long term, but should not get carried away by his success.
“He did look the part, we can be a little bit tougher with him now,” said the Academy Manager, who has overseen the development of a host of top-class players during his coaching career. “The nonsense is over, he’s played. He was too slow on the ball a few times, he should have moved it quicker, but he picked it out of the air a few times, played some good balls forward and looked a good player.
“You play people of that quality in midfield to quicken their feet up. When they play at the back you have more time, so there was a method in the madness, it was an ideal time to do it. The more we can accelerate his progress the better. He did OK, but no more than OK.
“I think any young player [needs first team experience]… he’s only 16. The average age in the Premier League is 24, and rising, so he’s got quite a few years on him. But Thursday night would have helped him a lot. There aren’t many 16-year-olds who can do what he did out there. We’ve got a player on our hands, that’s for sure.”
Westley revealed that new manager Slaven Bilic had visited the Hammers’ dressing room before kick-off to present Oxford – West Ham’s youngest-ever player at 16 years 198 days – and fellow debutant Lewis Page with their match shirts.
“The manager has flown back from a training camp in Ireland, got here this afternoon and spent all afternoon with the players. He was in the dressing room for the team talk.
“We presented two players, Page and Oxford, with their debut shirts. The manager and the chairmen gave the talk and said: ‘Wear these shirts with pride and honour. You’re following in the footsteps of some outstanding players, Hurst, Moore, Lampard, Ferdinand. It’s times for you to have your legacy’. The manager did that, he was very respectful of the game.
“He’s just been in with the players now after the game, he was very pleased with the result, with how we played and how we moved the ball.”