Mike Kelleher - Partnership Development Manager

Mike joined the West Ha

m United International Academy in November of 2009. His career in soccer spans 14 years on both sides of the Atlantic.

In London, England, he served the English Premier League for 5 years, where he assisted the Director of Youth in implementing the FA’s Academy program, designed to develop elite young soccer players.

In 2001 Mike moved to Miami, Florida accepting a position as Manager of Team Relations for Sportsio LLC, working with the United Soccer Leagues and Umbro. Then followed four years in Morgantown, West Virginia, which saw Mike undertake a number of roles in the soccer community, including Director of Soccer for Pro Performance Rx, Director of Coaching for West Virginia United Soccer Club, High School Head Coach and Volunteer Assistant for the West Virginia University Women’s soccer program.

He now resides in Knoxville, Tennessee where he studied a Sport Management Masters Degree at the University of Tennessee while serving as the Graduate Assistant for the women’s soccer team. He also coaches for FC Alliance in addition to being a Tennessee State Soccer Association Coach Educator, holding coaching qualifications from three organizations; The USSF (A License), The NSCAA (Premier Diploma),  and The English FA (Preliminary Award).  He has over 14 years of US soccer camp experience.

Mike attended his first game at West Ham United in 1979 and had a season ticket with his Father at Upton Park for 10 years

Mike Leigh - Academy Scout USA, Oceania and Asia

Mike Leigh is originally from London, England but has been living in Western Australia since 1981.

A UEFA “A” licensed coach, Mike has been representing West Ham United as a talent scout for more than six years in Oceania, Asia and North America. His association with West Ham United dates back to 1997 when he coached at the Club’s Centre of Excellence in Western Australia.

Mike is a former Director of Coaching for Floreat Athena Soccer Club in Western Australia where he coached the Under 18 boys team. He also has national team coaching experience as the coach of the New Zealand Under 17 team that toured the USA and England in 1992. Mike is a former Western Australia state coach which allowed him to travel and coach teams in such places as Indonesia and Thailand.

Mike was invited to to attend the first senior level 4 coaching course at the Australia Institute of Sport in Canberra. He has been coaching and directing soccer camps in both Australia and the USA for more than 17 years.

Jose “Gaucho” Pinho - Goalkeeper Coach, Academy Scout South America

Gaucho joined the West Ham United International Academy in February 2010, having spent part of that month

working alongside the West Ham United Academy staff in London. He is a former youth national team goalkeeper with Brazil, earning 15 caps, including one against England at Wembley Stadium. A product of Flamengo’s youth Academy, Gaucho went on to play professionally for Botafogo. Nova Iguacu and CFZ in Brazil.

He holds his Brazilian professional and youth coaching licenses and spent 5 years as the first team Goalkeeper coach and two years with the Under-20’s for the Zico Club in Brazil. In the United States, Gaucho has been the Technical Director with the Fusion Soccer Club in Georgia for 6 years. He also has 5 years of experience with both the Georgia ODP Program and Georgia State University as a Goalkeeper Coach.

Gaucho is pictured here with West Ham United and England Goalkeeper Robert Green during his time at the Academy in London.

James Meara - International Academy Coach

James Meara joined the West Ham United International Academy as a senior staff coach in April 2010. James was born in London and has been living in the United States in Pittsburgh since 2002. A former professional soccer player in England, he joined Watford Football Club Youth Academy in 1982 at the age of 10 and progressed through the Academy to the age of 16 where he was offered a full time Academy contract at the club. In the 1988/89 season James was part of the Academy team that won the F.A. Youth Cup defeating Manchester City in the final. He then spent 3 years as a professional player at Watford FC and made his debut in the Championship Division away to Tranmere Rovers in the 1992/93 season. James left Watford FC after a 14 year career at the club and spent a further 2 years as a professional at Doncaster Rovers Football Club playing in Division 2.

During his time as a professional player he played alongside former West Ham United players David James and Alan Devonshire, and was coached by former West Ham United first team Manager, Glenn Roeder and the late, great, Jimmy Neighbour.

James currently holds his UEFA 'B' License 

Ian Bishop - International Academy Ambassador and Player Scout.

Former West Ham United captain Ian Bishop has joined the West Ham United International Academy as an ambassador and player scout. Between 1989 and 1998 Ian played over 300 first team games for West Ham United scoring 17 goals, helping the team get promoted to the English Premier League in 1993. He also played for Everton (where he started his career as a youth team player), Crewe Alexandra, Carlisle, Bournemouth, Rochdale and had two spells at Manchester City where he is best known for a scoring and starring role in a 5-1 victory over rivals Manchester United in 1989. In total he played over 700 first team games in the English Leagues and Cups scoring 42 goals as a central midfielder with the ability to pass the ball, much in the same way as many of the graduates of the West Ham United Academy.

Toward the end of Ian’s professional playing career he experienced life in Major League Soccer playing for the Miami Fusion in 2001, appearing in the Major League Soccer All Star game at the end of that season. He also played for the New Orleans Shell Shockers in the United Soccer Leagues in 2004. He now resides in South Florida where he operates his own independent soccer academy the Bishbosh Soccer Academy.

Shaka Hislop - International Academy Ambassador and Player Scout.

The West Ham United International Academy are delighted to announce former West Ham United Goalkeeper, Shaka Hislop, as an International Academy Ambassador.  He has agreed in principle (subject to his ESPN schedule) to coach our Goalkeepers at one of our National Camps in the summer.

In two spells at West Ham United between 1999-2002 and 2005-06, Hislop played over 150 times for the first team making his debut in a team that included Academy greats Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard.  He was named player of the year at the club in 1999 when the team finished 5th in the English Premier League, it’s highest ever finish. His final game for West Ham was in arguably the greatest ever FA Cup Final against Liverpool in 2006.

Born in Hackney, East London, but grew up in Trinidad and Tobago Hislop earnt a scholarship to play at Howard University in the USA where he appeared in the NCAA championship game in his freshman year. After graduating from Howard he was offered his first contract in England with Reading FC and went onto to play nearly 400 games with Reading, Newcastle United, Portsmouth and of course West Ham. He ended his career in the MLS with FC Dallas. However prior to the move to Dallas he featured in Trinidad and Tobago’s one and only appearance in the World Cup in 2006, starting against Sweden and England in Germany.

Shaka is now a football analyst for ESPN International and features on their weekly show ESPNSoccernet Press Pass which is shown in the Caribbean and around the world.

George Cowie - Development Manager of Australia and New Zealand

The West Ham United International Academy are pleased to announce the appointment of George Cowie as Business Development Manager and International Academy Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand.  

George is no stranger to West Ham United having first signed as an apprentice at the club in 1977 and then as a professional in 1978. During his time, West Ham won the FA Cup in 1980 and were runners-up in the League Cup the following year, George being on the substitutes bench at Wembley Stadium in the 1980 FA Charity Shield. Due to these successes, first team opportunities were limited but George did play in several big games for the Hammers facing Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham. In 1983 George returned to his native Scotland where he went on to make nearly 100 appearances for Hearts in the Scottish Premier League before injury cut short his career.

In more recent years, following relocation to Australia, George has remained involved in the game as a coach at various levels including, Technical Manager of Football Queensland, Interim Head Coach of the QAS, National Coach of Papua New Guinea Under 23 Olympic Team and National Coach of the Solomon Islands and Director of Coaching – Sunshine Coast Football. Voted “Queensland Coach of the Year” in 2008. 

George’s role will include overseeing the development of the West Ham United International Academy in both Australia and New Zealand, seeking partner clubs, providing training opportunities to players and coach education services to coaches.  For more information contact George at gcfootball@bigpond.com.

George is pictured here with former teammate and current Director of Football Development of the English Football Association, Sir Trevor Brooking.