West Ham United have always taken a holistic approach to player development, and that was certainly the case at a recent coaching masterclass
West Ham United have always taken a holistic approach to player development, and that was certainly the case at a recent coaching masterclass.
Assistant manager Nikola Jurcevic, first-team coach Edin Terzic, goalkeeper coach Chris Woods and coaching assistant Julian Dicks spent an afternoon putting on a special session for the Club’s Academy staff at Chadwell Heath.
The first-team coaching quartet put Development Squad and U18 players a series of drills for the benefit of those who work closest with the Hammers’ up-and-coming youngsters.
Academy Manager and Head of Coaching and Player Development Terry Westley oversees West Ham’s Category 1 Academy – the highest possible ranking under the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).
“It’s two-fold, really,” he said. “One, the players get the opportunity to show the first-team coaching staff what they’re all about – not just U21s but the U18s who are here as well.
“Two, the Academy coaches get to see the coaching styles of the new first-team staff and it’s a great opportunity for all of the Academy staff. The turnout is exceptional and really big thanks for Slaven Bilic for sorting this out following a conversation we had. We asked if the Academy coaching staff could see the first-team staff in action and this is the result.
“We invited all of our staff – not just the coaching staff, but elite performance staff who will have looked at the warm-up and compared it to their own. Then you had the technical staff Steve Potts, Mark Phillips and Paul Heffer and all of our part-time staff who work with the younger players on Sundays and in the evenings during the week, and the recruitment staff.
“We could see that the set-up in training is very similar to ours, with a physical warm-up and then some technical ball work, 3v3s and a small-sided game – that format is very similar to how we coach in the Academy.”
Assistant manager Nikola Jurcevic, first-team coach Edin Terzic, goalkeeper coach Chris Woods and coaching assistant Julian Dicks spent an afternoon putting on a special session for the Club’s Academy staff at Chadwell Heath.
The first-team coaching quartet put Development Squad and U18 players a series of drills for the benefit of those who work closest with the Hammers’ up-and-coming youngsters.
Academy Manager and Head of Coaching and Player Development Terry Westley oversees West Ham’s Category 1 Academy – the highest possible ranking under the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).
“It’s two-fold, really,” he said. “One, the players get the opportunity to show the first-team coaching staff what they’re all about – not just U21s but the U18s who are here as well.
“Two, the Academy coaches get to see the coaching styles of the new first-team staff and it’s a great opportunity for all of the Academy staff. The turnout is exceptional and really big thanks for Slaven Bilic for sorting this out following a conversation we had. We asked if the Academy coaching staff could see the first-team staff in action and this is the result.
“We invited all of our staff – not just the coaching staff, but elite performance staff who will have looked at the warm-up and compared it to their own. Then you had the technical staff Steve Potts, Mark Phillips and Paul Heffer and all of our part-time staff who work with the younger players on Sundays and in the evenings during the week, and the recruitment staff.
“We could see that the set-up in training is very similar to ours, with a physical warm-up and then some technical ball work, 3v3s and a small-sided game – that format is very similar to how we coach in the Academy.”
We have had that relationship from the start of pre-season, when we went straight to Cork and the manager was there and saw the way we were training, and the young players, and this is really an extension of that
Westley and Bilic have worked closely since June, when the former took charge of West Ham’s opening two UEFA Europa League fixtures, under the watchful eye of the new manager. Four-and-a-half months on and the relationship between first team and Academy is stronger than ever.
“This is one of the bits the people don’t see,” Westley continued. “I spend a lot of time at Chadwell Heath in the afternoons, constantly speaking to the manager about the young players and the way we play.
“If a young player like Josh Cullen can come through and play in the first team, then it proves we are doing things right and that breeds a good relationship.
“We have had that relationship from the start of pre-season, when we went straight to Cork and the manager was there and saw the way we were training, and the young players, and this is really an extension of that.”
Head of Coaching for the U15-18 age group, Danny Searle, endorsed Westley’s philosophy.
“It just shows the continuity between the Academy and the first team, which is what we’re trying to emulate – the set-up of the technical and physical practises and the tempo of the sessions,” said Searle.
“It’s a great experience for the boys and a great experience for the coaches as well, to see what we need to do to ensure the boys are at the level they need to be when they come over.”
“This is one of the bits the people don’t see,” Westley continued. “I spend a lot of time at Chadwell Heath in the afternoons, constantly speaking to the manager about the young players and the way we play.
“If a young player like Josh Cullen can come through and play in the first team, then it proves we are doing things right and that breeds a good relationship.
“We have had that relationship from the start of pre-season, when we went straight to Cork and the manager was there and saw the way we were training, and the young players, and this is really an extension of that.”
Head of Coaching for the U15-18 age group, Danny Searle, endorsed Westley’s philosophy.
“It just shows the continuity between the Academy and the first team, which is what we’re trying to emulate – the set-up of the technical and physical practises and the tempo of the sessions,” said Searle.
“It’s a great experience for the boys and a great experience for the coaches as well, to see what we need to do to ensure the boys are at the level they need to be when they come over.”
Terzic agreed that the close relationship between the two sections remains vital to the long-term success of the Club.
Having worked as an Academy coach and as part of the first-team backroom staff during a hugely successful spell at Borussia Dortmund, the first-team coach is acutely aware of the need for a football club to adopt a joined-up approach.
“The last month was the birthday of Back to the Future, but for me this was going back to the past because two years ago I was working with young lads,” said Terzic. “It’s great because they are all hungry and are loving what they are doing, so it’s a good experience for us as well.
“The difference between a youth coach and a professional coach is that a youth coach is developing players, while a professional coach is more asking the player to show his qualities.
“It’s very important to start working with players at a good age for their development and it’s that all the coaches in the club are talking with the same language.
“There are meetings every week where all the coaches are talking to one another about how they can give opportunities to young players, so it’s always been like an exchange between the first-team staff and the youth Academy.”
Having worked as an Academy coach and as part of the first-team backroom staff during a hugely successful spell at Borussia Dortmund, the first-team coach is acutely aware of the need for a football club to adopt a joined-up approach.
“The last month was the birthday of Back to the Future, but for me this was going back to the past because two years ago I was working with young lads,” said Terzic. “It’s great because they are all hungry and are loving what they are doing, so it’s a good experience for us as well.
“The difference between a youth coach and a professional coach is that a youth coach is developing players, while a professional coach is more asking the player to show his qualities.
“It’s very important to start working with players at a good age for their development and it’s that all the coaches in the club are talking with the same language.
“There are meetings every week where all the coaches are talking to one another about how they can give opportunities to young players, so it’s always been like an exchange between the first-team staff and the youth Academy.”