EXCLUSIVEMax Kilman opens up on swapping non-league for Premier League and how his mum pushed him through his footballing journey to become West Ham's £40m star defender
- Max Kilman opens up on his career so far, as he starts new chapter at West Ham
- The 27-year-old defender joined the Hammers this summer for £40million
- He says 'hard work' and his MUM propelled him from non-league to the Prem
Hard work. They are two words Max Kilman uses repeatedly. His journey from non-league to the Premier League, amateur to professional, university student to £40million defender, has needed many things – talent, belief and support from his coaches and family to name a few.
But the key to it all, and perhaps the reason why Julen Lopetegui was determined to bring him to West Ham this summer, has been hard work.
'I've always tried to give my best and when I was playing in non-league I never expected to get this far,' Kilman tells Mail Sport.
'I've taken it in my stride and every obstacle I've overcome and everything I've achieved, I've always just wanted to look forward and keep progressing. Coming here, I want to keep improving and get as far with the team as possible.'
Kilman was part-way through a degree in business and sport management when he left Maidenhead for Wolves in 2018, for a mere £40,000.
Max Kilman, 27, credits hard work – and his mum – helped propel him through his career
Defender Kilman (right) signed a seven-year contract with the Hammers for a reported £40m
New West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui previously worked with Kilman at Wolves
The club smartly inserted a sell-on clause of any future move. While the exact figures have been kept undisclosed, Maidenhead have described the money they will receive as 'life-changing.'
Kilman, though, almost seems a little embarrassed to talk up his role in helping his former side. He laughs when asked if anyone has called to thank him, instead steering the focus back to how he needs to live up to his hefty price tag.
'Obviously it's good for them. It's how football works. My route has been very different to other players.
'A [transfer] valuation is a valuation but my focus regardless of that is that I have to do my best and that's how I've always been. I get the pressure and I need to perform but I'm more than capable enough to deal with it.'
Kilman's connections to West Ham go back further than you may think. 'I don't think many people know that I actually lived in West Ham until I was nine years old,' the 27-year-old says.
But it is not just childhood that links West Ham and Kilman. His manager at Maidenhead was Alan Devonshire, who made over 300 appearances for the Hammers between 1976 and 1990 and was part of the 1986 FA Cup-winning team.
'He gave me a call and said what an amazing club West Ham is,' Kilman says of Devonshire, who is still in charge of Maidenhead.
'He did really well when he was here and he's a legend at the club. During my time at Maidenhead he used to mention some of these stories about when he was a player at West Ham, he's said only good things.'
Kilman's move to West Ham was partly driven by his desire to reunite with Lopetegui, his former Wolves boss.
The Spaniard, who made Kilman captain before leaving the club last summer, is renowned for his intensity on the training pitch and expecting maximum effort from his players – as evidenced by the fact his squad have been granted only one day off during their pre-season training camp in Florida.
Kilman made 127 league appearances for Wolves, scoring three goals, between 2018 and 2024
Newcastle also made an approach for Kilman, while Napoli had a bid rejected last year
He will also hope Kilman can provide some stability to a defence that went 17 games without a clean sheet in the second half of last season.
'I worked with him before and he did great things with me at Wolves. I knew that working with him again, his standards are really high and his way of managing is to get the best out of players. He was definitely someone I wanted to carry on working with.
'He likes to play with high pressure and lots of possession football. He wants his players to work really hard. That's definitely what you can expect from West Ham this season.'
Kilman was born in London but his parents, Maria and Alex, originate from Ukraine. Alex, who passed away in 2020, played a key role in his development, consoling him when he was released by Fulham and pushing him to overcome his self-doubt.
Maria has been equally crucial, but also made sure her son secured himself a safety net by completing his degree.
'My mum pushed me more than anyone to get that over the line. When I was doing my degree I was playing non-league football and I didn't know where my career or where my pathway in life would be so I always wanted to have that back-up option.
'I became a professional footballer when I still had one more year left so I took my time, but my mum forced me to get it done in the end!'
Kilman graduated in March but it is unlikely we will see him don a gown and hat, with the ceremony scheduled for September.
'I've got the diploma but I don't think I'm going to be able to go to the ceremony because it's during the season. Hopefully they can send it [the gown] to me! That would be nice.'
Kilman watched this summer's European Championship with a feeling of what could have been. He has previously spoken of his desire to play for England but, had it not been for his previous futsal career, he could also have been representing Ukraine.
Kilman has ambitions of playing for England after representing his country in futsal
Former boss Andriy Shevchenko enquired to FIFA over the possibility of switching Kilman's allegiance in 2021, but the defender's 25 caps for England's futsal team between the ages of 18 and 21, made him ineligible.
So it is England or nothing. Kilman has been close to a call-up in the past and while he recognises there is plenty of competition, he is determined not to give up on representing his country.
'Of course as a player, this is my ambition, I've always wanted to play for England.
'My focus right now is just to make sure I do my best for West Ham and if that can happen in the future then that would be great.'
When asked what West Ham fans can expect from him this season, Kilman's answer is simple: 'Hard work, 110 per cent commitment and giving it my best all the time.'
