While Divin Mubama has enjoyed all the success and accolades that have deservedly come his way this season, he knows experiencing setbacks is all part of his journey to the top.
West Ham United’s prolific Academy of Football product has scored 27 goals this season, won an FA Youth Cup and U18 Premier League South double, made his first-team debut and scored in the UEFA Europa Conference League – all by the age of 18.
Mubama made his Premier League bow at Arsenal on Boxing Day and his second top-flight appearance arrived on Sunday in another London derby on the road, this time at Brentford.
The Newham-born striker put himself about against experienced defenders Ben Mee and Ethan Pinnock and helped the Hammers as they tried to come back from a two-goal deficit.
He thought he had played his part in halving that deficit when Saïd Benrahma’s cross came back off the post and hit Mubama before falling to Manu Lanzini, who volleyed a cross square for Danny Ings to head into the Brentford net.
Alas, Mubama’s joy, and that of his teammates, was short-lived, as VAR Robert Jones called referee Michael Oliver to the pitchside monitor to assess a potential handball against the teenager. Oliver decided an offence had been committed, despite manager David Moyes’ later claim the ball had hit the player’s shoulder, and the ‘goal’ was chalked off.
Speaking to West Ham TV, Mubama did not bemoan the decision, instead opting to explain how he would learn from the negative experience and use it to drive him forward in his first-team ambitions.
“Obviously in the first half we didn’t play really well and in the second half we showed more desire, more energy and more passion, but we couldn’t get it done tonight, so we’ll have to focus on next week,” he observed.
“I just tried to get involved and help the team and whenever the gaffer needs me, whether it’s for five or ten minutes, I’m ready. Again, it’s good to come on. With the season that I’ve had, I just need to keep going and run my socks off. I want to be involved between now and the end of the season and get some more minutes in the first team.
“This is football and obviously in the environment I am coming into there is VAR, so it’s something I need to get used to. [For the handball] I tried to get my head on it and initially it just skipped past me, so who knows?”
