West Ham coaches believe the next Rio Ferdinand may already be waiting in the wings at the club.
On the same weekend the former England captain announced his retirement, youngster Josh Pask excelled with a series of assured displays during the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament.
And the performances of the 17-year-old drew comparisons to one of the most successful graduates of West Ham’s academy
Under 18 coach Mark Phillips said: “I thought Josh Pask was absolutely outstanding. I think he can go on and play for the first team.
“He doesn’t take the eye as a defender, but when he drives forward like that, it’s Rio Ferdinand isn’t it, let’s be fair.”
He was one of many who caught the eye during a promising tournament for West Ham, which saw the young ten man squad come up against much more experienced opposition.
Striker Jaanai Gordon scored two in the final, and four in total throughout the two day cup run, with Phillips praising his “strength and finishing qualities”.
Fellow forward Djair Parfitt-Williams was also singled out for acclaim.
The 18-year-old was rewarded with his first professional contract immediately after returning from Hong Kong, and Phillips believes he has a bright future ahead of him.
“I don’t like to have star players, but he’s quite an effective footballer,” he said.
“He creates his own chances and creates chances for other people. You can see how he can go on to play for the first team at times, if he learns the defensive side of it, because he’s an exciting player and can go past people.
“Especially in a tournament like this where one player can open things up, he’s excellent at that. I said to him he could be the player of the tournament if he feels like it. He’s a very good player.”
