Young Hammers in action

By Tony Fowles ironworks Gazette
March 22 2005

Tomorrow afternoon James Tompkins will be a favourite to start for the England U16’s as they commence their assault on the prestigious Montagiu Tournament with a group game against Japan in St Georges.

Meanwhile Hogan Ephraim had the perfect warm up last night when he scored his first goal for the Hammers reserves as he prepared to join up with the England U17 party whose first game is on Saturday against Serbia & Montenegro at Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium. Looking ahead at the tournament Hogan said:
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“Yes I am definitely looking forward to it, there is going to be much more pressure than our other tournaments but if we do not qualify it will be a massive disappointment”
From past experience Hogan knows what to expect and claims that it will be different from club football:
“It’s more technical and the refereeing decisions can be very different but at the end of the day its eleven verses eleven and each game will be just another game really”
Molineux, the Britannia Stadium and Walsall’s Bescott Stadium, are three good venues and that gives the tournament even more hype, so I am really looking forward to it”

The draw was made last night for the Nike Premier Cup where the boys have a squad at U14/U15 level this week. In todays group games the boys will take on Nottingham Forest (09:30) and Fulham (11:30). Whilst tomorrow they play Sunderland (09:30) and Birmingham City (3:30). The tournament ends with the final on Friday and this season is being hosted at Warwick University. The competition is not open to the public so unfortunately supporters will not be able to attend.