This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Zavon Hines has been speaking about how he came to get his coaching role at West Ham United, as reported on the club’s official website.
What did he say?
Hines was forced to retire in February, while at National League side Bromley, due to medical advice he had been given.
While this will have been a massive blow for the West Ham academy graduate, who represented the club’s first-team 31 times, it did end up leading to an opportunity to make a return to his routes.
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The 30-year-old started with the club in July and is currently an Under 14s coach, looking to help youngsters forge a career in the game, as he managed for himself.
He spoke to West Ham’s official website about how the opportunity came about: “It all happened quite quickly, when I decided to stop playing, I was speaking to [then-West Ham U16s coach] Jack Collison all the time. He’d been through a similar situation to me, and we kind of grew up together, so he told me to come in to see how Chadwell Heath was again.
“I wasn’t expecting to coach straight away – I’d never thought about it like that – but I’ve always wanted to help out.
“I was in and around the Under-18s, and it just reminded me of how it was when I was there as a kid. I enjoyed it so much I came back a few more times, and eventually I decided to try for my coaching badges and take it from there.”
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A bit of positivity
Things are pretty miserable at West Ham at the moment, with the team on an eight-game winless streak and sitting 17th in the Premier League table, while questions can begin to be asked about whether there was much point in leaving Upton Park.
Therefore, it is nice to see some positivity coming out of the club, especially when it is considered how Hines’ career came to an end.
Collison excelled in his role as part of the academy, earning himself a move to Atlanta United, so the hope will now be that Hines can follow in his former teammate’s footsteps and contribute to the club.
In other news, many West Ham fans have been buzzing about the academy’s prospects.
