Jake

It’s been great for us to welcome Sam Lyall from WHUF, delivering on our Australia & New Zealand Regional Camps in April!

This is an incredibly special moment for us at George Cowie Football. Sam’s grandfather, John Lyall, was a legendary West Ham manager who guided the club for 15 years, winning the FA Cup twice (1975 & 1980) and leading them to European success. John was also the man who signed George and gave him his first-team debut — making this a truly full-circle story.

Yes, we are focused on helping every player progress to the next level through high-quality coaching from the club.

But to see Sam Lyall in Australia and New Zealand coaching across our Regional Camps is something all of us here—and especially George—have to pinch ourselves about.

From Sam’s grandad, John Lyall, spotting and signing our very own George Cowie from a small town in Scotland to West Ham United, then giving him his debut and guiding the early stages of his professional journey, it makes Sam’s visit even more special and inspirational.

Great to see George and Sam together in Australia.

Well done to all the WHUF coaches across the April camps. We can’t wait for our next round of Regional Camps to get started again in June.

Following a busy Easter period, the West Ham United Foundation’s international football programmes continue to flourish with dynamic activity across multiple continents, welcoming tour groups, delivering coaching experiences, and fostering key partnerships.

In recent weeks, we’ve proudly welcomed multiple tour groups to the UK from across the globe. Aspiring footballers have arrived to take part in a number of training programmes with our lead coaching teams. These visits were mirrored by groups travelling from Australia and multiple American states including Illinois, California, New Jersey, Atlanta and Colorado. Their commitment and passion brought great energy to our spring programmes, taking part in fixtures against our boys and girls player pathways.

March also saw the arrival of a dedicated group from our partners in Thailand ‘EPA/BASE’ closing out the month on a high note. The players made a strong impression, taking part in bespoke training sessions and match play that capped off an exciting first quarter of the year.

Looking ahead, our delivery team remains busy with coaches heading out to Northern Ireland to lead programme delivery as part of a new and growing partnership in the region. May brings a return to Thailand for further programme delivery, continuing our strong relationship in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, our partners at Choices International recently entered a tournament at Athletic Bilbao, deepening ties with Spanish clubs and creating fresh opportunities for future collaboration. Coach CPD (Continuing Professional Development) workshops are also scheduled for Australia in June, with preparation well underway to ensure a successful summer.

Staff will be returning to Switzerland to support our partners Inter Soccer across several camps and regions, coinciding with the arrival of a group from Dubai courtesy of our partners Elite Sport, a true testament to the expanding reach and reputation of our programmes.

Reflecting on our recent months of international delivery, Director of Programmes Bryan Glover said: “We’ve seen significant growth across our international work since the turn of the year with the Easter period being our busiest yet. I’m delighted with our recent work in New Zealand with George Cowie Football, as well as the success of our Choices International squad’s achievement in Bilbao.

As we continue to engage with new partners across the world and strengthen our longstanding strategic relationships with the likes of George Cowie Football, Choices International, EPA/BASE, Elite Sports, C4T, GIS plus many more, the future of our global programmes has never looked brighter.

As part of the West Ham United Foundation’s international programme delivery, George Cowie Football were invited to east London from Australia to experience the Foundation’s football development pathways.

As part of the Foundation’s wider international partnerships which uses the global appeal of Premier League football to engage and inspire communities, young footballers from regional and national camps in Australia led by Foundation coaching staff were selected to visit the UK and experience life as Academy players.

“Our international partnerships look to provide young people from around the world the opportunity to experience our football development pathways,” explained Foundation Director of Programmes Bryan Glover.

“Being able to provide these opportunities for boys and girls is something I’m very passionate about, especially with the Women’s World Cup coming to Australia and New Zealand this year.”

“These trips are an amazing opportunity for our young people to not only experience life as a young footballer and train with high-level coaches, but also to soak up the culture and get to know their teammates who are from all over Australia and New Zealand. They’re learning so much even if they don’t realise it!”

Having played Academy football himself, Glover was also keen to emphasise the learning aspect of the trip and to shine a light on the multitude of career pathways football and sport in general has to offer.

“Although the focus is to give them a snippet of what it takes to become a professional footballer, it’s not just about football,” noted Glover. “It’s also about the wider careers involved in football, from marketing to operations. It’s something I’m always keen to talk about to the groups because I went through that system myself. I was fortunate enough to play Academy football as a child, but found a career in football another way. In other words, helping raise the profile of the variety of careers in sport is key to what we’re trying to do with our international delivery.”

If you would like to contribute to the Foundation’s mission to grow its global outreach and be part of their international programme delivery, please email [email protected]

The West Ham United Foundation will join forces with George Cowie Football during the Club’s two-match pre-season tour to Perth, Western Australia.

Run by former West Ham player and international coach Cowie, the Scot’s coaching programme boasts an intimate understanding of what it takes to nurture young talent. Having joined the Club as a professional player in 1977, the Scotland youth international witnessed the team’s FA Cup victory in 1980 and was part of the squad that reached the League Cup final a year later.

Cowie’s camps provide a platform for aspiring footballers from Australia to develop their skills and showcase their talent. Notably, the 2023 camps in Perth will conclude a month-long series of delivery, coinciding with West Ham United’s highly anticipated pre-season tour.

George Cowie Football’s partnership with the West Ham United Foundation also offers a unique opportunity for selected participants to embark on an international tour to the UK, visiting some of West Ham’s main locations in East London.

“My history is rooted in this Club,” reflected the former Hammers and Heart of Midlothian full-back. “As a 15-year-old boy, I ventured to London for a trial, where I had the privilege of training alongside legends such as Billy Bonds, Sir Trevor Brooking, and Frank Lampard. I was fortunate enough to sign with the Club and spend six formative years as a young player there.

“Throughout the years, I have maintained strong bonds and kept in touch with loads of people at the Club and its Foundation. With the coaches regularly visiting Australia, our relationship has grown incredibly close. It’s as if George Cowie Football has become an extension of the West Ham family, strengthening our shared values and passion for the game.”

As part of the collaboration, Foundation coaches are leading the regional camps in areas such as the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth, providing young players with invaluable training and development opportunities. In addition to these camps, the Foundation’s lead coach Liton Zaman will be delivering a Coaches CPD (Continuing Professional Development) session in Perth at the Lakeside Recreation Centre. This session will have a specific focus on promoting the renowned ‘West Ham Way’, ensuring that the coaching staff in Australia are well-versed in the club’s distinctive playing style, philosophy and values.

Furthermore, the camps will also serve as part of a broader Club-led activation with the DT38 Foundation. Established in memory of Dylan Tombides following the Perth-born striker’s death at the age of 20 in 2014, the DT38 Foundation’s mission is to improve the diagnosis of testicular cancer by implementing best practice guidelines for patients presenting testicular symptoms.

WHUF Director of Programmes Bryan Glover enthusiastically commented on the partnerships Down Under, stating: “This great collaboration between the West Ham United Foundation and George Cowie Football truly showcases our commitment to nurturing young talent not only in our local East London and Essex communities, but also on an international scale.

“We are delighted to be able to link our regional camps with the fantastic work DT38 are doing. It’s great to build on the long-standing relationship with them after delivering a wide range of DT38 activities across our schools in East London and Essex.

“These activations down under truly embody the essence of the close-knit West Ham family, as we work together with the Club to transcend borders, inspire the next generation of footballers, and make a lasting difference in the communities we proudly serve.”