With Mohamadou Kante, Callum Marshall and Ezra Mayers all handed Premier League debuts, Nuno Espirito Santo clearly wasn’t lying when he said youngsters would get a chance at West Ham United.
Nuno immediately got the Hammers fans onside by bringing Freddie Potts into the fold, on his first outing since replacing Graham Potter at the end of September.
Three months later, another talented trio of up-and-comers have all featured on the senior stage for the first time.
Mohamadou Kante made his top-flight bow off the bench against Manchester United at Old Trafford, and then followed that up with another cameo appearance in that 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa.
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Nuno introduced Callum Marshall at Arsenal in October’s 2-0 loss, picking the Northern Ireland prospect over the far more experienced Callum Wilson.
Ezra Mayers has made a good impression on the West Ham United supporters, too. The teenage centre-half stepped in at left-back when Ollie Scarles was forced off at the Etihad in the final match before Christmas.
Now, speaking on the Ironcast podcast before the Hammers host London neighbours Fulham at 3pm, Nuno Espirito Santo opened up on his plans for Kante, Marshall and one George Earthy.
Mohamadou Kante and Ezra Mayers have a role to play at Nuno’s West Ham United
Nuno was speaking opposite former West Ham-striker-turned-Loans and Pathways Manager Carlton Cole.
Cole believes Mohamadou Kante is an ‘unbelievable’ talent. The ‘shining beacon’ of Greg Lincoln’s impressive Under-21 crop.
Now, Nuno insists that patience is required – Kante went from a Premier League debut against Manchester United to an EFL Trophy clash with Colchester – but opportunities will always present themselves for young talent with the quality and the character required.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
“It is very, very important [to give youngsters a chance]. The energy that the boys bring to the training sessions and the commitment…,” says Nuno. “They have that ‘no worries’ attitude. No fear.
“But the main reason [for bringing in the likes of Kante and Mayers] was to try and elevate the levels inside the training session.
“By that ‘energy,’ I mean trying to anticipate what we are suffering from now. We don’t have Aaron [Wan-Bissaka], and we don’t have Malik [Diouf], so we need bodies in the defence as backup options.”
Mayers could start against Fulham after Ollie Scarles knock
While Wan-Bissaka and Diouf are unavailable due to their African Cup of Nations commitments, Nuno was ‘worried’ about Ollie Scarles’ latest injury against Manchester City.
If the left-back is not fit enough to start against Fulham, this may lead to a first Premier League start at the age of just 18 for Mayers.
“As you said, Ezra came into the game and Mo came into the game. They are going to have their chances. I think they’ll get those opportunities because, ultimately, they are going to be needed,” Nuno adds.
“[But] don’t get too carried away!
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“We have Callum Marshall and we have George [Earthy]. There will not be spaces for everybody. But I truly believe that, within the culture of the club, the boys from the academy are important.
“It is not just because they are there. It’s because we, as a coaching staff, believe we have something to work on. We want to make them better, just like every other player in the squad.”
In addition to Marshall, Earthy, Kante and Mayers, Finlay Herrick and Airidas Golambeckis have trained with West Ham’s first team squad as well.
Herrick, as a goalkeeper, may have to wait for his inclusion in the matchday squad. Golambeckis has already been included on the bench, though, for that 3-2 victory over Burnley a month-and-a-half ago.
The club’s Under-21 captain may be part of the roster again versus Fulham, with a handful of senior players either unavailable or doubtful.
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