Studying footage was crucial in Carlos Corberan recalling West Brom loanees

Boss Carlos Corberan admits he made his January recall decisions by studying footage of Albion’s loan players.

The Hawthorns chief has his squad in training today as the Baggies are not in action until they face former boss Slaven Bilic’s Watford at Vicarage Road on Monday evening.

The Spanish head coach made a big call last month as promising goalkeeper Josh Griffiths, 21, was brought back from a loan at League One Portsmouth to prove himself in training – prior to Alex Palmer’s unfortunate injury. Corberan revealed that decision was made using video footage, mostly during the World Cup break in November and December, as well as other calls, including on highly-rated 20-year-old defender Caleb Taylor, who remained with Cheltenham.

“When I arrived here, and especially in the World Cup break, I had the opportunity to have a look at (Alex) Mowatt (at Middlesbrough), at Caleb Taylor, at Griffiths, at (Cedric) Kipre (at Cardiff) too,” said the boss. “And some of the young players like Jamie (Andrews, who was at Yeovil) that played with us in the cup, we like to see the progress of our players.

“We always like to watch what they are doing and dependent on what I was watching I would make decision to (bring them back) here.

“To have Griffiths here is based in what I was watching from him in the previous club.

“The decision to keep Caleb Taylor at his club was based in what I was watching from him and with our squad too.

“The decision with Jamie was based in the same way, with what I watched, what he can offer here in the under-21s and to create in training, we train many times with the B team and that’s important to have, some different levels and ages of players too, to help everyone grow.

“Everything is based in what we analyse and watch.”