490: West Ham United, Merlin’s F.A. Premier League 2000, Millennium Edition Sticker Collection

Today Mat Jolin-Beech takes a look at one of the country’s proudest clubs and their admirable academy system which has produced some exceptional players over the years from Bobby Moore to Trevor Brooking, from Paul Ince to Freddie Sears. Love them, hate them or really hate them it’s hard to deny that West Ham United have contributed a lot to English football and if you do deny it Frodo Baggins and Danny from Hustle will be after you. Over to Mat.

There are often conversations that crop up about the best team that never was, or that could have been. As a Manchester United fan the Busby Babes of 1958, led by Duncan Edwards, is one that is etched in legend. Not only for United, but also for England and arguably led to the 1968 European Cup winning team. On top of this, that post Munich team formed a key part of the England 1966 winning team – still the only time England’s men have won a major trophy. Excluding the 1997 Tournoi de France obviously.

And talking of England winning the World Cup – did you know it was West Ham what won it? I’m not sure if you do as their fans don’t like to mention it too often. Some of these are the same fans who tore out the seats in their state-of-the-art stadium that they are currently renting at a steal thanks to Seb Coe and the London 2012 Olympics delivery committee. It’s not the same as Upton Park. Having been there once as an away fan, I can say getting pelted by stuff from the top tier and goaded whilst entering the ground wasn’t exactly pleasant. I wouldn’t have minded but I was an early teen travelling up as a fan of Gillingham. Not exactly big rivals!

But, if the management of the club, both at a board level and from the touchline, was a bit smarter, they, in all possibility, could have had one of the best teams to ever grace the Premier League in the 2000s. If only the Academy of Football wasn’t just a production line for the top clubs in England rather than a money making arm for the much-loved board of the Hammers.

Enter this squad:

Goalkeeper: David James

Defence: Glen Johnson, John Terry (Yes John Terry. That John Terry. In full kit.), Rio Ferdinand

Midfield: Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard, Javier Mascherano

Attack: Jermain Defoe, Paolo Di Canio, Caros Tevez

Subs: Shaka Hislop, Trevor Sinclair, Lee Bowyer, Tomas Repka, Davor Suker, John Hartson, Eyal Berkovic, Yossi Benayoun, Mark Noble, Freddie Kanoute.

Look at the number of international caps, league winner’s medals, Champions League winner’s medals, FA Cup winner’s medals, Scottish league and cups medals (you’re welcome John Hartson). For me, that team would be one to be feared, and would rank as one of the best ever in the Premier League. A solid, if not very friendly to each other, centre back pairing of Terry and Ferdinand, with Glen Johnson playing the Kyle Walker role to help mop up anything that the defensive stalwarts alongside him missed.

Then there is that midfield. Bite, flair, control and goals. A diamond formation would probably suit, allowing Mascherano to sit and the other three to make things happen. And that attacking trio. Defoe as the poacher, and then the creative madness of Di Canio and Tevez buzzing around them. The bench isn’t bad either!

I just don’t think that one David Moyes would be up to the job though. He certainly would not be the Chosen One. Maybe Harry Redknapp would be.

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