West Ham’s appointment of Graham Potter could be the perfect appointment for the future of the ‘Academy of Football’.

The Hammers became known as the ‘Academy of Football’ due to the players we used to bring through the ranks into the first team; Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole just to name a few. However, since Declan Rice broke through almost eight years ago now , there hasn’t really been once player to make a real name for himself.

But that looks like its beginning to change, if it hasn’t changed already. Ollie Scarles is very quickly becoming an important first-team player, he has appeared in 10 first-team matches this season and has been involved in every match since Graham Potter took over from Julen Lopetegui.

The 19-year-old has started the last two Premier League matches, keeping to clean sheets against Arsenal and Leicester. He has already won the hearts of all Hammers fans by winning man of the match in a very impressive defensive display in the 1-0 win at the Emirates.

In Moyes’ second spell, a period of over five years, the Hammers didn’t really bring one first-team player through to become a first-team player. You could maybe argue Ben Johnson but it was Manuel Pellegrini that gave the now Ipswich defender a breakthrough. He gave players like Divin Mubama, Ollie Scarles, George Earthy, Harrison Ashby and Jeremy Ngakia limited matches, but not enough to show what they can do when playing consistent first-team football.

Graham Potter has also given minutes to teenagers Lewis Orford and Luis Guilherme since arriving at the club and they are a lot more likely to get more chances under Potter than they would’ve done under Lopetegui or Moyes. Players like Kaelan Casey and Josh Ajala could also see some more opportunities between now and May.

Freddie Potts, Callum Marshall and George Earthy are all set to return from their Championship loans in the summer and will certainly all be given a chance by Potter over pre-season