Samuelsen's Dutch Courage Determination

Part of Manuel Pellegrini's brief on arrival as the new manager of West Ham United was to run the rule over the club's youth and academy players as well as the senior squad. Youth players, with the exception of Declan Rice, hardly got a look in last season due to the constant battle against relegation, Slaven Billic and then his replacement David Moyes were totally reluctant to throw the youngsters in to desperately fought matches. Fast forward to the present and the 'youth' have been carefully scrutinised with several being sent out on a season's loan, one such player is Norwegian born Martin Samuelsen who was signed from Manchester City.

Now that Manuel Pellegrini and Mario Husillos have made their appraisals players like Samuelsen have been sent out on loan as they were last season, the difference is the loan destinations, in Samuelsen's case VVV-Venlo in Holland's Eredivisie. There will be increasing media coverage of the Dutch leagues and their fans and infrastructures ahead of EURO 2020 in Holland. The Hammers powers that be have decided that only loans that will benefit the youngsters by guaranteeing them a certain amount of playing time and placing them with clubs that will nurture their talents, the choice of mainly European clubs chosen as their destination is a clear indication of the direction that Pellegrini and Husillos want to go in.

Samuelsen was in the starting line up for VVV-Venlo at the Seacon De Koel stadium for the initial fixture of the Eredivisie season, a game they won 1 - 0. You can check out the odds on who will be champoins and who will be relegated by visiting this Dutch football betting site. There are were once really high expectations regarding Samuelsen, perhaps too high, but his move to ply his trade in Holland is a direct result of meetings he had with Pellegrini and Husillos who defintely see Samuelsen as 'one for the future'.
In case you need reminding of just how good Samuelsen is take a look at the video below!

Of all the players sent out on loan Samuelsen represents a real opportunity for the future, many Hammers fans have bemoaned the lack of quality players emerging from the once famous West Ham academy because like any other supporters they love to see 'one of their own' break through to the senior squad, Samuelsen has all the attributes needed to succeed and he also has a good attitude unlike some of the other youth players on Hammers' books who have had their heads turned by unscrupulous agents who promise them the earth and get them to believe in their own 'myth' before they have even earned a sniff of acceptance.

Unfortunately agents are all powerful and like them or loathe them clubs have to deal with them for fear of missing out on that rare gemof a player that does get unearthed without an eye watering premium! There are a good few youngsters coming through the ranks, and fans may well have the feeling that these players will be nurtured far more efficiently than has been the case previously.

Bit by bit the average age of the first team is coming down, soon there will be an ongoing project for the future as opposed to the 'band aid' patch and mend mentality of the past! - Ed