Youth coach: Burke proves that other youngsters can make it

The emergence of Reece Burke proves there is still a clear pathway to the first team at West Ham, according to the club’s youth coach.

Injuries towards the end of the season opened the door for defender Burke to make his bow in the Premier League, and the 18-year-old turned in a series of assured performances.

He had previously been a key member of the Under-18 squad, and the team’s coach Mark Phillips said the youngster can be an inspiration to others.

“It just shows you there is a pathway at West Ham, and that is important,” he said.

“When we play Under-21 games week in week out, it’s not so much about winning those games, it’s about ‘is there a pathway to the first team – Can we provide players for the first team?’”

The players on show at the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament last week impressed the coach, with Alex Pike and Djair Parfitt-Williams rewarded with their first professional contracts within days of returning home.

And Phillips, a lifelong West Ham fan, believes it is important for the club to continue nurturing it’s own talent.
“A home grown player means more to the fans than someone we’ve brought in,” he said.

“It’s not about saving money, but with a home grown player who has come through The Academy the song is ‘They’re one of our own’, and that’s what we want.”

He said the main thing was ensuring the players are given the right environment and support to develop into top level footballers, and he hopes some of his young squad will be given first team opportunities in the coming years.

“As you can see they’ve got the ability, it’s the mental strength you have to coach sometimes,” he added.
“Some of these players in this tournament are first years, so they’re Under-17. They can come on over the next four years.

“You would think they’ve got a long way to go before they start knocking on the door, but maybe they’re not that far off, if you look at Reece Burke.”