West Ham United are often known as the “Academy of football” thanks to their long history of promoting youth to the first team.
The Hammers have produced such talents as Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe to name just a few.
Next off the production line could be Leo Chambers and Pelly Ruddock who, under the watchful eyes of Nick Haycock and Tony Carr, have excelled through the youth system and are now firmly banging on the first team door.
Chambers and Ruddock both played in the team that kept a clean sheet against high flying Championship side Burnley to help the Irons reach the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup.
Whilst Chambers has played in all the previous rounds, which points to the fact that he is closer than Ruddock to the first team. It was Ruddock that impressed most on his professional debut.
Having signed from Boreham Wood in 2011, the Hendon born centre back has had to adapt his game to fit into Sam Allardyce’s plans. Having played central midfield for the under 18s and for Boreham Wood, after a word in the ear from Haycock he now ply’s his trade as a no nonsense centre back.
His impressive display at centre back showed his composure and strength in abundance and he fully played his part in the solid defensive display.
Whether he is a star of the future, it is impossible tell at this early stage, I have seen him on three occasions now in two friendly games and that Burnley game. At times he lacks that skill to read the game that comes with playing as a centre back all of your life.
I am almost positive however that with the right guidance from Sam Allardyce and Nick Haycock that he will get there and playing time whether that be at first team level or with the development squad will only help him.
While Pelly Ruddock’s development may have slipped under the radar slightly Leo Chambers has been in the limelight far more. He nearly received his first team call in October 2012 when he appeared on the first team bench for the first time.
But a serious knee injury meant the youngster who has been at the club since age seven saw his development slip backwards slightly. Having captained the side at Development squad, the natural progression is to the first team, and that is what the Brixton born youngster will continue to want to do.
Having played in every League Cup game, Chambers will hope to keep his place when the Irons travel to north London in December to take on Tottenham Hotspur n the quarter-finals. It is that game that could separate him from the men and the boys; it will for sure act as his biggest test yet.
For me, from what I have seen of Leo he is a very talented boy, and with the right tutorage and mentality could go a long way in the game. He has pace, strength and a good eye for a pass all that a full back needs, and it is easy to forget how close he came to scoring against Burnley at the back post he was a toe away from his maiden professional goal.
For me, out of the two, it is predictably the man with the more experience who is most likely to come through the ranks and play at first team level on a regular basis. Chambers, like Ruddock has a huge future but the Brixton born man just has the edge.
But here’s hoping these two are just the start of a blossoming future at the club as we move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016.
Come on you Irons!
Tweet me @Bowdenwhu
Never ceases to amaze me how people try and give us the credit for Defoe. You’d think people who run a west ham site would know he never came through our academy but we nicked him off Charlton after they brought him through the ranks. He was already quality when we got him as a 16/17 year old.
One never knows if a player, despite all their prior successful development, is going to cross the line into the first team. I’ve seen so many exciting players over several decades not make it. In recent years, Jordan Spence was a jewel in the crown as a centre or right back playing and captaining England youth teams. I was visiting UK and saw him play in losing league cup tie against Wigan a couple of years ago. Despite the loss, Spence played his right back position very well. I was very impressed. The hammers coaching staff have not been as impressed and me though. Same for Robert Hall and Blair Turgott. I always though Turgott would be the one to make it through. I thought Paul McCallum would break through this year but hasn’t – even after having a good pre-season and us needing a striker. We all knew how good Ravel Morrison was, there was just the question of can he cross the bar? Despite recent good games, he still hasn’t cemented his place, and I think all of us hope he’ll turn out OK.
Let’s hope that after we’ve looked everywhere for fortunes, we can find one or two that won’t hide from us!