West Ham United U18s lead coach Lauris Coggin hailed the Academy values shown by his young players who made history by lifting the Premier League Cup for the first time.
The young Hammers twice took the lead through Josh Ajala to seal a 2-1 victory over Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in front of over 2,000 supporters, becoming the last team standing in the 28-club competition.
Having worked with many members of the group over the past five years, first as Youth Development Phase coach, and then as U18s lead coach, Coggin was full of pride at seeing his players win silverware.
"It means so much," he reflected. "I’ve seen a lot of their journey. Not just us as staff and players, but the whole Academy. To win it at the end of a long competition is a fantastic feeling for everyone."
West Ham United’s campaign began back in August, with Coggin's side topping Group C ahead of Everton, Nottingham Forest and Premier League South leaders Southampton. Knockout wins over Manchester United, defending champions, and Derby County followed, before Tuesday’s showpiece final in Reading.
The journey to the trophy was very much a squad effort. Across seven matches, 20 different players pulled on the Claret and Blue, including U16 schoolboys who stepped in when called upon in the group stages.
"Utilising our squad has been massive," Coggin explained. "We've had over 20 players involved throughout the competition. The boys who have been with the U21s have come back into the group with a brilliant attitude. They’ve brought energy, professionalism, and a real togetherness, which showed again in the final."
"We prepared for the different scenarios we might face, and we saw a few of them on the night. Reading were very direct and put us under pressure, but the lads were resilient. The way they came together in the final ten minutes, putting bodies on the line, showed the character that’s been built over the years."
The victory marks another important milestone in a season where five of West Ham’s U18s have regularly featured above their age category with the U21s.
"I think that's the most important thing this year, the number of players who have progressed into U21s football and performed really well," Coggin said. "Seeing them grow as players, but more importantly as people, and ending the night like we did is an incredible feeling. It’s a great achievement for the whole Academy and something that can be enjoyed by everyone involved. We're just fortunate enough that the night's finished on a real high, and that's exactly what the boys deserve for the hard work over the years."
