Friday 3 July 2015 16:30, UK
West Ham teenager Reece Oxford will now be compared to previous club legends, according to fellow-defender Joey O'Brien.
The 16-year-old broke a 93-year record set by Billy Williams in 1922 when he became the club's youngest-ever player in the 3-0 win over FC Lusitans in the Europa League first qualifying round on Thursday.
Oxford, captain of England's U17 side, and fellow debutant Lewis Page, had been given a speech by new boss Slaven Bilic telling them to make their own destiny despite comparisons with former Hammers centre half Rio Ferdinand.
Republic of Ireland international O'Brien was one of five first-team regulars to start the game and said being compared to former West Ham academy players was just one of the pressures Oxford will have to get use to.
"It's something he will have to deal with and that isn't easy for a 16-year-old kid," O'Brien replied when asked if comparisons with the former Manchester United and England captain were likely.
"The Premier League is probably the toughest league in the world and it's even tougher than 10 years or so ago when those players came through, so it will be harder for him to come through."
Oxford penned a long-term deal at Upton Park earlier in the year having attracted attention from the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United whilst playing in the youth teams at West Ham.
Academy boss Terry Westley, who took charge of the side on Thursday, was pleased with Oxford's outing but knows he still has work to do and is far from the finished article, and O'Brien agreed that there is a long way between exciting prospect and first-team regular.
"When I was 16 I was still in school back home," he added. "It is fantastic for him and the academy. He was on the bench last year and nothing really phases him.
"That's the most important thing, especially today with the hype around the game. Sometimes you can get carried away with the whole thing but he just comes in and it doesn't bother him.
"But he has a lot to do. I have seen many a player play with expectations so high and never quite fulfil it. So many things have to fall your way. Physically he looks great but there is so much luck involved in making it to the top."
