Hard work. These are two words Max Kilman uses repeatedly. His journey from the amateur league to the Premier League, from amateur to professional, from university student to £40m defender, has taken many things: talent, faith and the support of his coaches and family, to name a few.
But the key to it all, and perhaps the reason Julen Lopetegui was determined to bring him to West Ham this summer, has been hard work.
“I’ve always tried to do my best and when I was playing in the lower leagues I never expected to get this far,” Kilman told Mail Sport.
“I’ve taken it easy and every obstacle I’ve overcome and every achievement I’ve made, I’ve always wanted to look forward and keep progressing. Coming here, I want to keep improving and go as far as possible with the team.”
Kilman was halfway through his degree in business and sports management when he left Maidenhead for Wolves in 2018 for a fee of just £40,000.
Max Kilman, 27, credits hard work (and his mother) for boosting his career
Defender Kilman (right) has signed a seven-year contract with the Hammers worth £40m.
New West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui previously worked with Kilman at Wolves
The club have cleverly introduced a sell-on clause for any future transfer. Although exact figures have not been revealed, Maidenhead have described the money he will receive as “life-changing”.
However, Kilman seems a little embarrassed to talk about his role in helping his former team. He laughs when asked if anyone has called him to thank him, and instead refocuses on how he must live up to his hefty price tag.
“Obviously it’s good for them. That’s how football works. My path has been very different to other players.
“A valuation (of a transfer) is a valuation, but my objective, regardless of that, is to do the best I can and that’s what I’ve always done. I get pressure and I need to perform at my best, but I’m more than capable of dealing with it.”
Kilman’s links with West Ham go back further than you might think. “I don’t think many people know I lived in West Ham until I was nine,” says the 27-year-old.
But it is not just childhood that links West Ham and Kilman. His manager at Maidenhead was Alan Devonshire, who played more than 300 games for the Hammers between 1976 and 1990 and was part of the team that won the FA Cup in 1986.
“He rang me up and said West Ham are an amazing club,” Kilman says of Devonshire, who is still in charge at Maidenhead.
“He did very 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 West Ham player. He only said good things.”
Kilman’s move to West Ham was driven in part by his desire to reunite with Lopetegui, his former boss at Wolves.
The Spaniard, who named Kilman captain before leaving the club last summer, is known for his intensity on the training pitch and expecting maximum effort from his players, as evidenced by the fact his side have only been granted 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 attempted to sign Kilman, while Napoli had a bid rejected last year.
He also hopes Kilman can bring some stability to a defence that went 17 games without conceding a goal in the second half of last season.
“I had worked with him before and he helped me a lot at Wolverhampton. I knew I would work with him again because his standards are very high and his way of managing is to get the best out of the players. He was definitely someone I wanted to continue working with.”
“He likes to play with a lot of pressure and a lot of possession. He wants his players to work very hard. That’s definitely what you can expect from West Ham this season.”
Kilman was born in London, but his parents, Maria and Alex, are from Ukraine. Alex, who passed away in 2020, played a key role in his development, comforting him when he was released by Fulham and encouraging him to overcome his doubts.
Maria has been equally crucial, but she also made sure her son had a safety net upon completing his degree.
‘My mother pushed me more than anyone to achieve it. When I was doing my degree I was playing amateur football and I didn’t know where my career would be or my path in life, so I always wanted to have that alternative option.
‘I became a professional footballer when I still had one more year to go, so I took my time, but my mother forced me to do it in the end!’
Kilman graduated in March, but we’re unlikely to see him in cap and gown since the ceremony is scheduled for September.
‘I have the diploma but I don’t think I’ll be able to go to the ceremony because it’s high season. I hope you can send it to me! It would be great.’
Kilman looked at this summer’s Euros with a sense of what could have been. He had previously expressed a desire to play for England but, had it not been for his previous career in futsal, he could also have represented Ukraine.
Kilman has ambitions to play for England after representing his country in futsal.
Former boss Andriy Shevchenko asked Fifa about the possibility of Kilman switching allegiance in 2021 but the defender’s 25 appearances for England between the ages of 18 and 21 made him ineligible.
So it’s England or nothing. Kilman has come close to a call-up in the past and, while he acknowledges 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 have always wanted to play for England.
“My focus right now is to make sure I do the best for West Ham and if that can happen in the future, 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 my best all the time.”
