Slaven Bilic was the man who gave Declan Rice his debut at West Ham but he also brought through another prodigious talent whose career has gone in another direction.
It was the last day of the 2016–17 Premier League season when Declan Rice was brought on for his West Ham debut by Slaven Bilic.
The man who would go on to be West Ham’s first major trophy winning captain of the last 45 years came on as a 91st-minute substitute for Edimilson Fernandes in a 2–1 away win.
It was just five days after Rice captained the Hammers’ under-23s to promotion.
West Ham had two generational talents on their hands
Rice’s full first-team debut came the following August in a 3–2 defeat at Southampton.
Rice grew into being the player we see today, starting off at centre-back before being used as a midfielder.
His debut came two years after another talent was given his West Ham bow – making the entire Premier League sit up and take notice from day one.
Reece Oxford was just 16 when he was deployed in central midfield away at Arsenal by Bilic.
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Like Rice, Oxford was a centre-back by trade.
But you wouldn’t have known it watching that famous 2-0 win at the Emirates.
Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Oxford was the man of the match as he marked Mesut Ozil out of the game while Dimitri Payet whetted the appetite for what was to come during that unforgettable Farewell Boleyn campaign.
Whereas Rice has gone on to be known as one of the best midfielders in world football with West Ham, the Gunners and England – Oxford has drifted into complete obscurity.
Labelled the ‘new Rio Ferdinand’, Oxford went from one of the hottest prospects in European football to the Hammers scrapheap in the space of three seasons.
His is a cautionary tale for any young player looking to make their way in the Premier League.
Bilic said Oxford was as good as Rice
Oxford found game time hard to come by after losing his man twice in a 4-3 home defeat against Leicester City soon after the Arsenal heroics. Besides a few cameos in Europa League qualifiers, that was that for the Edmonton-born star at West Ham.
After loan spells at Reading and Borussia Monchengladbach, Oxford was shipped out on loan to German side Augsburg, a move that was made permanent for around £3.5million in the summer of 2019.
There was talk in Germany that should Oxford prove himself with Augsburg, Bayern Munich would be waiting to snap him up.
And there were genuine fears at West Ham that might happen and leave the club red-faced over what they could have had.
Photo by Roland Krivec/vi/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Photo by Roland Krivec/vi/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Well now West Ham won’t believe what’s happening to the star Bilic said was as good as Rice.
“He had great potential and was very similar to Declan Rice who came through one year after,” Bilic told talkSPORT about Oxford last year.
“Declan and the people around Declan were more focused and focused only on football and you can see how that developed his career.”
Oxford did not set the world alight with Augsburg but was a regular until 2022.
Since then a series of issues from injury to illness have meant he has not played a competitive game since – in THREE years.
Now a big announcement has been made by Augsburg about former Hammer Oxford, who is still only 26 – the same age as Rice.
West Ham won’t believe what’s now happening to Oxford six years on
“Reece Oxford’s contract will also come to an end in the summer,” Augsburg said when announcing the ex West Ham Academy star is one of four players being let go.
“The lofty centre-back made the move to Augsburg from West Ham in January 2019, initially on loan, before the transfer was later made permanent. Oxford played 77 times for FCA in the Bundesliga, as well as thrice in the DFB-Pokal.
“His last competitive appearance for the first team came back on 12th November 2022 against VfL Bochum. FC Augsburg wishes the 26-year-old all the best with his health going forward.”
Where Oxford turns now remains to be seen.
What a sad tale of a talent who looked destined for a longer career than most at the top level with club and country given when he made his debut.