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West Ham supporters have weighed in on Finlay Herrick’s future at the London Stadium after his debut last weekend.
Herrick made his first appearance for the Hammers as an extra-time substitute against Leeds United in the FA Cup quarter-final.
The 20-year-old did not have much to do in the final minutes of the game, but he did save a penalty in the shootout.
It will be interesting to see what West Ham decide about Herrick’s future this summer, with many options on the table.
What should West Ham do with Finlay Herrick next season? 🧤
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Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images West Ham supporters unsure about Finlay Herrick’s future
While Herrick could not prevent West Ham from losing the penalty shootout, he still earned praise for his performance.
Given the challenging circumstances of his debut, he looked surprisingly confident in goal and has probably earned another opportunity to play.
The issue for Herrick is that opportunities will be hard to come by, with Mads Hermansen and Alphonse Areola ahead of him in the pecking order.
Hammers News asked West Ham fans to decide on Herrick’s role from next season, and the results were mixed.
37% of TalkingPoints users voted for Herrick to be the Hammers’ goalkeeper in cup competitions after his FA Cup cameo on Sunday.
26% want him to continue as a reserve behind Hermansen and Areola, while 13% believe he is ready to take the starting spot.
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Alternatively, 25% of voters suggested Herrick’s future lies away from the London Stadium, either on loan (21%) or permanently (4%).
One TalkingPoints user explained that the club’s ongoing Premier League relegation battle would come into consideration.
“We can’t make any decisions until we know where we’ll be next season,” they wrote. “It may well be that Herrick may be our second-choice keeper if we were relegated.”
Hammers fans can join the West Ham youngsters debate here
Several Facebook followers also shared their thoughts on Herrick’s future, with very little alignment among the fanbase.
“Maybe No. 2 if Areola or Hermansen leave us; if not, then No. 3. Fabianski will leave,” a Hammers fan commented.
“If we go down, bite the bullet and make him number one. Give Fabianski another year to work alongside him,” another said.
“Loan him to a Division 1 club,” was another idea, showing the massive split of opinion.
It seems highly unlikely that Herrick will be either the first-choice goalkeeper or be sold to another club, but the other three options are all plausible.
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