The loan surprised many but a spell in the Bundesliga can only help Reece’s game
Like many before him, Reece Oxford’s reputation has rapidly gone from England’s most exciting young talent to yet another youngster struggling for regular first team opportunities in the Premier League.
His debut against Arsenal, in which he had Mesut Ozil in his pocket for much of the game, seemed to herald a new era for West Ham’s famed Academy of Football.
So many years had passed since we could honestly boast of a world class talent coming through our ranks and becoming a star, and Oxford took the country by surprise just as much as did West Ham fans.
Two years on from his Emirates masterclass, though, Oxford can only boast six more first team appearances for West Ham and a failed loan spell at Reading. Now he is beginning a season-long loan with Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach.
Having signed a new four-year contract at the club last December, to ward off interest from the likes of Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea, we all believed his time had finally come. Instead, his most recent move away just confuses us further.
The way Slaven Bilic threw him in to the deep end and then carefully protected him from the limelight was seen as wonderful man management at the time, but now we’re all wondering why Bilic doesn’t think he’s good enough for a first-team spot any longer.
What has he seen that we haven’t, or is his judgement not as good as we initially believed?
This story is from the October 2017 edition of Blowing Bubbles Monthly.
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This story is from the October 2017 edition of Blowing Bubbles Monthly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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Syd King - 1902-1932
Greatest achievement: Reaching the first Wembley cup final and securing promotion to the first division of the Football League in 1923.Biggest mistake: Failing to recognise that no one is indispensable.
Charlie Paynter - 1932-1950
Greatest achievement: Winning the Football League War Cup and earning West Ham respect throughout the football world.Biggest mistake: Failing to secure promotion to the First Division despite producing some good sides.