I love Aaron Cresswell and Angelo Ogbonna and deeply appreciate their contributions to West Ham. In an industry where loyalty and commitment are rare, Oggy and Cressie have been exceptional servants to the club.
Indeed, it could be argued that both understand West Ham better than most. These long-time Hammers have weathered multiple managerial changes and experienced playing at Upton Park before the move to the London Stadium.
However, the mere suggestion that Ogbonna (turning 36 this month) and the comparatively youthful Cresswell at 34 should be awarded new contracts does not speak well of West Ham’s recruitment policy.
West Ham has the second oldest squad in the Premier League and should be actively looking to rejuvenate its line-up. Despite there seemingly being problems in Cresswell and Ogbonna’s positions, do have a full-back capable of playing in central defence, yet we’re letting him go.
Ben Johnson (24) would happily accept a reasonable squad wage for a fair chance at first-team football, but West Ham are not prepared to offer him a contract. It seems ludicrous that two veteran players, who are unlikely to feature significantly next season, would be offered the kind of money Johnson would gladly accept.
Not to mention, Ollie Scarles from the academy is eager to step up and play first-team football. The last thing he needs is a senior left-back blocking his pathway into the first team. With no European football next season, Scarles should be brought in to understudy Emerson and hone his skills.
Sometimes, I despair at the lack of foresight and planning at West Ham. How can the club seemingly panic and offer players who are past their prime new contracts when there is a Sporting Director like Mark Noble and a Football Director in the form of Tim Steidten?
What are these people doing? Do Steidten and Noble genuinely believe re-signing Ogbonna and Cresswell is a wise decision? Or are they so constrained and powerless that they cannot implement their own vision to inject younger talent into the squad?
Who knows? But what is clear is the lack of true direction from a club experiencing an identity crisis. The irony that West Ham’s last opponents were Bayer Leverkusen should not be lost on anyone: one side panics, while the other plans methodically, and the two could not be further apart.