Graham Potter chose West Ham over Everton for his return to football and now we are seeing the real reasons why.
Everton’s run of results has been more impressive but like David Moyes, Graham Potter has breathed new life into West Ham.
You only have to watch training footage, listen to players, owners or Mark Noble – who holds Moyes in the highest regard – to know Potter has lifted the whole club.
There is no shortage of subplots when West Ham meet Everton.
The main one being that it was in fact Everton who forced West Ham’s hand on Potter.
The Toffees made a serious offer to the Englishman, who had been out of work for 20 months, after he was left on standby to take over at the London Stadium for more than a month.
Potter refused to confirm or deny Everton’s interest ahead of the ‘Moyes derby’.
But the truth is, he used it to get West Ham to match the two-and-a-half year contract being offered by the Freidkin Group and he signed up to manage the Hammers instead.
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With ambitious new owners in place and a lovely new stadium on the way, there is excitement on the horizon at Everton. So it was a big call from Potter.
West Ham’s new manager has brought in Kyle Macauley from Chelsea as the club’s new head of recruitment.
West Ham spent £155m when Moyes left.
But Tim Steidten’s rebuild was so badly managed, yet another overhaul is needed this summer as Potter looks to drive down the age of the Premier League’s oldest squad.
However, since Potter’s appointment, West Ham have made it clear money is going to be tight.
Photo by Chelsea Football Club/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Chelsea Football Club/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Real reason Potter joined West Ham now clear
The Hammers have braced fans for £80m losses.
West Ham are going to be entirely reliant on player sales to make signings this summer.
Flogging players who have underperformed for so long may not be easy.
So Potter could be forgiven for wondering whether he made the right choice in snubbing Everton for West Ham.
Especially as Moyes has made it clear the Toffees will be able to spend more in the summer having faced a relentless PSR battle in recent seasons.
But the real reason Potter joined West Ham is now clear with nine stars in pipeline.
West Ham fans are fiercely proud of their Academy roots and record.
There has been a lack of players progressing from the Academy to the first team since Declan Rice’s emergence, though.
Many find it perplexing that West Ham’s youngsters won the FA Youth Cup with a 5-1 rout over Arsenal less than two years ago but none had really made the breakthrough.
Meanwhile two Arsenal players from that final, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, are first team regulars in the Premier League and Champions League.
On arrival at West Ham, pied piper Potter was playing to the tune of West Ham fans.
He declared he would be looking to the Academy first before bringing any players to the club.
Ollie Scarles has been the biggest beneficiary so far, cementing the left-back spot.
Now it has become clear just what Potter has to be working with in east London.
Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Hammers have nine stars in pipeline for Potter
And it suggests the future is very bright indeed, regardless of money being tight.
West Ham United’s famed Academy is officially back.
It has been announced that not one, not two but NINE emerging West Ham stars have been called up by England.
With young players knowing they will get a chance at West Ham now under Potter, they could transform the first team in the coming seasons.
Centre-back Kaelan Casey, playmaker George Earthy and left-back Scarles have all been selected for England Elite Squad games against Portugal and Switzerland.
Six more have been called up by the Three Lions too as the Hammers conveyor belt bursts back into life with the perfect manager at the helm to make the most of it.
The future’s bright, the future’s claret and blue
Midfielder Lewis Orford and goalkeeper Fin Herrick, have been named in the England U19 squad Euro Championships qualifiers.
Emerging Hammers Academy wing-back Emeka Adiele and East Ham-born centre-half Airidas Golambeckis have also been included in the England Under 18 squad.
Finally another young goalkeeper, Lanre Awesu – who has been training with West Ham’s first team of late – and central midfielder Chinaza Nwosu are in the England Under 17 squad.
That is almost an entire starting XI of England quality stars emerging at West Ham at the same time.
No wonder Joe Cole claimed the future is bright at West Ham last week.
Potter knows he is on to a winner regardless of whether he has money to spend on signings.
Of course new arrivals will be needed.
But supplemented by this level of talent coming through, West Ham seem destined for a bright new era.