Midfielder Alex Kral is at a loss to explain the snub from David Moyes after his West Ham departure but says he would let his emotions out after training.
Hammers boss Moyes brought the 24-year-old to West Ham on a season-long loan from Spartak Moscow last summer.
But Kral ended up being almost completely frozen out at West Ham despite a promising start.
In what was a mammoth season for West Ham with a ridiculously shallow squad, Kral managed only 255 minutes of action in the entire campaign and just one of those minutes was in the Premier League.
Incredibly, 21 West Ham players played more minutes than Kral last term (Transfermarkt).
Some West Ham fans were baffled by Kral’s lack of game time given Mark Noble’s limitations and the below par form of his compatriot Tomas Soucek.
Kral impressed in a 1-0 Carabao Cup win away at Man United but rarely saw the light of day thereafter at West Ham.
West Ham did have an option to make the curly-haired Czech Republic international midfielder’s move permanent for around £17m this summer.
It was obvious Moyes was never going to take up that option given Kral’s lack of game time.
The former Slavia Prague man has joined German side Schalke since leaving the Hammers.
Now Kral has opened up on his difficult year in east London for the first time since leaving.
And midfielder Kral is at a loss to explain the Moyes snub after his West Ham departure but says he would let his emotions out after training in a bid to remain professional (WAZ).
“I didn’t get a clear answer from the coach (over my lack of opportunities at West Ham),” Kral told WAZ.
“Mentally, the time in London was difficult because I didn’t get a chance to show myself.
“Despite this, I always behaved professionally and never caused a bad mood.
“Only in the car after training could I let my emotions out.”
Kral clearly had limitations. And Moyes sees the players every day on the training pitch and knows what he wants and needs to get the best result for West Ham.
But there were occasions last season when Kral could and should have been given a chance.
In the long run it would have benefited the likes of Soucek and Declan Rice.
It wasn’t to be and Moyes will have his reasons.
West Ham fans will undoubtedly keep an eye out on how Kral gets on over in Germany.