Results tagged “Tony Carr”

When England walk out to face the USA in their opening World Cup game on June 12 there's one man who might have more reason to feel proud than most.

Around half of England's line-up for that game could be products of West Ham's youth academy, overseen for the past 37 years by Tony Carr.

HE’S the godfather of Green Street, the man who has nurtured the talent emerging from West Ham’s youth academy over the past 35 years.

But academy director Tony Carr is not resting on his laurels because he knows the work he and his staff do is of incalculable benefit to the club, especially in the economic climate.

Freddie Sears, James Tomkins and Jack Collison are the latest academy graduates to make an impression on the first-team squad but Carr is determined to keep the conveyor-belt of talent turning.

WHEN England ran out to play their World Cup qualifiers this week there was one man who could perhaps feel prouder than most when he saw the line-up.

Tony Carr is the director of West Ham's youth academy, helping produce a string of players who have starred for both club and country, with Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Jermain Defoe all prominent in England colours against Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Add the likes of Joe Cole, Glen Johnson and Michael Carrick and there's a strong case for saying Carr is a major influence on England's bid to make South Africa in 2010, although he modestly plays down his role.