MEASURING the impact that Chingford-based striker Jermain Defoe has made on football in such a short space of time is not an easy task.

This 19-year-old has scored on his West Ham debut, set a post-war goals record by netting in ten consecutive matches while on loan at Bournemouth, hit two crucial goals in the Premiership against Ipswich and Charlton and played an integral role in England's Under-21s qualification for next summer's European Championships.

The Guardian caught up with Defoe at a press afternoon set up by his boot sponsor Umbro and asked him how difficult is was for home grown talent to break into the Premiership.

He said: "It is hard for young players to make it because this is one of the best leagues in the world.

"But I have always said that if your good enough then you are old enough. It has been frustrating for me being a sub, but you have to get on with it, keep working hard and wait for a chance.

"I don't think I need to sit down and speak with the manager at this stage, it is just a case of when I do come on I have to work hard for the team and if I am scoring I will let my football do the talking.

"I am trying to emulate players like Joe Cole and Michael Carrick, because while still only young themselves, both are doing well, which is good for the future of the club."

Despite finding it hard to secure a Hammers front line spot, Defoe is still keen to take full advantage of being surrounded by the likes of Paulo Di Canio and Frederic Kanoute.

He said: "You can learn a lot from Paulo, Freddie, Trevor Sinclair and all the other great players here.

"I would definitely like to pick up some of Paulo's skill's, because you watch him and think, what a great player. "

Defoe is inevitably disappointed at not starting every game, but this season has been impressive for someone so young.

He added: "So far this year has been really good, plus it is always an honour to represent your country.

"The under-21s have been playing really well and it was great to qualify for the championships, I can't wait for June and hopefully the goals for West Ham will continue as well."

Such has been Defoe's contribution at international level that before the qualifier against Holland, U21s manager David Platt felt it fit to compare the young striker to a certain Michael Owen.

Defoe admitted that this very public comparison caught him by surprise: "When I found out, I was eating my breakfast, reading the paper like everyone else. It did give me a good feeling though.

"And while I got a bit of stick from the lads, that is part and parcel of being a footballer. But I would love to achieve what Michael has for someone so young."

This modest attitude was illustrated by the admission that it might be a bit too soon for him to repeat the Liverpool forward's feat of playing in the full World Cup finals as a teenager.

He said: "I haven't really thought about that. If it happens it would be a dream come true, but I need to be a regular in the West Ham side and that's all I want to do at the moment."