There was a lot to enjoy from West Ham United U21s’ season, according to lead coach Steve Potts and assistant coach Gerard Prenderville.
The young Hammers finished second in the main Premier League 2 season and had a lot to enjoy their campaign despite a quarter-final exit on penalties away to Sunderland in their final fixture of the season.
Two players, George Earthy and Callum Marshall, were shortlisted for the Premier League 2 Player of the Season Award, as the group also pushed on to reach the Premier League International Cup semi-finals and the last 16 of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy after wins over senior sides Bristol Rovers, Newport County, Cheltenham Town, and Colchester United.
Elsewhere, senior international honours arrived for Michael Forbes and Callum Marshall with Northern Ireland, Premier League debuts for Kaelan Casey and Earthy, while Finlay Herrick and Lewis Orford also marked their latest England U18 camp with a Pinatar Cup win.
In short, despite no title finding its way to this group, there was a lot to celebrate when Potts and Prenderville sat down to reflect on 2023/24...
Bristol Street Motors Trophy
Potts: "I wasn’t surprised by the group doing well in that competition because of the players we have got.
"The experience was what we wanted for the boys because yes, we have the Under-21 programme, but that is a different feel for Bristol Street Motors, which has the challenge of playing against senior players in senior stadiums too."
Prenderville: "The Bristol Rovers game was really hard one, then there was Newport County, before the Cheltenham Town game, which was a great performance, completed the group stage.
"I think going into that Colchester United game, the momentum really was with the group, and they went into that last 32 game with confidence and played so well to get a 4-0 win."
Potts: "I think that Bristol Rovers win gave the group the confidence because they were League One opposition. We want players in our first team so it’s good to do well in that competition because it shows the boys can hold their own against senior professionals."
International recognition
Potts: "It’s another compliment that a lot of the boys have been involved in international trips this year. Callum Marshall and Michael Forbes made their senior Northern Ireland debuts and Finlay Herrick and Lewis Orford featured for England U18s this season."
Prenderville: "It’s great to see Fin and Lewis doing so well because I’ve worked with them across the age-groups, starting at Under-11s, so you know them so well. It’s them as people and how they apply themselves every day because they throw everything into training and sessions."
Potts: "It’s great as a Club to have international players in your group and it adds to our belief that we have players here that are at a really good level."
A solid campaign
Potts: "Whoever has come into the team has done well and even with a few going out on loan in January didn’t affect us too much. We talk a lot as coaches after training and we’ve never come in and gone: ‘The boys weren’t at it today’. Every day they train well. That makes such a difference on matchdays.
Prenderville: "The group has such a huge love for football – and getting second place in the league is down to how they apply themselves at Rush Green. If I had to pick out one game, I would probably say the win over Liverpool, which was just a great away performance, although the result at Leeds United was good too!"
Potts: "We’re a bit disappointed for the boys as they didn’t get a title or a final but I am so positive about the group because they have proved a lot of things this year. A lot of the boys won the FA Youth Cup last year, and they’ve not only gone again in terms of their performances, but I think they’ve gone up a level this season."
First team hopes
Potts: "I don’t think we are getting ahead of ourselves when we say this Under-21 group are at a really good level to push on and forge careers for themselves. They’ve done well in the competitions with the U21s, but a lot of people don’t see how well they do when they are training with the first team. They still have to tick that box of playing first-team football – one or two have made their debuts, yes, but there is still a long way to go.
"The potential is there, though, and we’re not getting ahead of ourselves when we say they have got a chance. We have not always seen the U21s be able to get to the level when training with the first team – sometimes you can see the difference, maybe with the speed or the physicality - but with this group, they are doing well – and that’s another benchmark for them pushing on at West Ham."
