Is This The First Sign Of Kretinsky's Direction?

West Ham have confirmed they have recalled Joseph Anang from his loan spell at Stevenage, the 21-year-old goalkeeper made 18 appearances in League Two for struggling Boro this term, and now returns to the club at the request of David Moyes. Hammers have also exercised their recall clause to bring Mipo Odubeko back from his loan spell at Huddersfield early, the club has confirmed. Odubeko joined the Yorkshire side on a season-long loan deal in the summer, but featured for just 107 minutes over six appearances in the Championship.

Sending players out on loan is intended to help them progress by featuring in 'competitive' games, neither Anang nor Odubeko have been given anywhere near enough time and therefore it is correct that they have been recalled.Given Hammers paucity of strikers, it makes clear sense to recall Odubeko in particular, if only to free up space in the U-23's for one of them to train and be around the first team on a permanent basis.

With new players potentially arriving, perhaps a reappraisal of those currently at the club might mean letting some players go. However it is believed that since joining the board, Daniel Kretinsk has questioned why so many young players are out on loan when the club is so incredibly short on numbers.

So perhaps the recalls are just an attempt to see things as they really are ahead of SOME expenditure, Kretinsky will want to see some of his investment earmarked for the arrival of at least TWO players during this transfer window, anything less will send out the wrong message both to fans and to potential new arrivals, who are always keen to ascertain a club's intentions for moving forward. LN