Leyton Orient should plot ambitious return for former star amid uncertain future: Opinion | OneFootball

Leyton Orient returned to the third-tier for the first time in eight years in style by lifting the League Two title last term.

The O's seldom broke so much as a sweat as they finished six points above second-place Stevenage, and twelve clear altogether in the automatic promotion pack.

They resemble a very opposing outfit in contrast to the side they had during their days outside the Football League, and their upwards ascension means that Brisbane Road may well be an attractive destination this summer.

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That said, Richie Wellens will need to work diligently on the squad that he has at his disposal if they are to establish themselves as a staple of League One once again, as naturally, major adjustments are required with the step-up.

And while Orient supporters will be eager to cast their National League spell behind them, there is one player from that period that they should be hatching a homecoming for.

The player in question is Josh Koroma, who, after graduating from the club's academy, went on to rack up just over 100 appearances before earning a move to Huddersfield Town, having found the back of the net on 20 occasions within that timeframe.

Ever since departing from the Capital, Koroma has faced trials and tribulations, embarking upon highs and enduring a fair degree of lows, too.

Coming off the back of a breakout 11-goal haul, the winger headed up to Huddersfield in the wake of their relegation from the Premier League, and although they encountered difficulties in readjusting to the rigors of the Championship, he initially cut a peripheral figure.

Koroma started only three matches in the league before making the short trip down to South Yorkshire on a mid-season loan at Rotherham United, where he even played considerably fewer minutes as the Millers romped to automatic promotion.

But that summer, a managerial transition was conducted as Carlos Corberan replaced Danny Cowley in the dugout, and a fresh license of trust and opportunity was administered to Koroma.

He repaid the faith shown by enjoying a blitzing beginning to the 2020/21 campaign and had scored five times in eight matches before sustaining a hamstring injury against Sheffield Wednesday, which curtailed involvement for four months.

Koroma finished that season with a highly-commendable return yielding eight goals and two assists from 20 outings, but the following season was not quite so prosperous as he only scored four times and laid on a further two in 34 matches, leaving the club on loan for the second time to join Portsmouth shortly after.

Much to the surprise of fans who had eagerly observed his red-hot form in his first full-season with the Terriers, Koroma had a tough old time of it on the south coast and struggled for both form and minutes, scoring twice from 16 appearances.

After his loan spell was terminated, Neil Warnock managed to gather a relative tune from the forward as he notched four goals in 19 games to support Huddersfield's improbable survival, though he now faces an uncertain future at the club.

Koroma's contract is set to expire this summer and discussions have been launched regarding this, but it is not yet known whether he will stay or exit as a free agent.

If he departs this month, then it would make perfect sense for Leyton Orient to bring him 'home'.

Why should Leyton Orient reunite with Josh Koroma?

Though his career has been anything but plain-sailing to date, it is hard to contest that Koroma is not a footballer who possesses a serious level of quality when operating at his best.

Trying to receive those performances on a sustained basis is the conundrum, though nonetheless, a player who has, at times, stood out in the Championship should really be one of the very best in the league below.

Granted, Koroma's brief and unsuccessful time at Portsmouth combats just that, but the benefit of being back in familiar, homely surroundings could prove invaluable.

It seems as though he may have never truly found his feet and settled with Huddersfield, yet, it is a totally different set of circumstances at Orient given how well he knows the club.

And it can also be easy to forget that he is still only 24, so he should not be discounted just yet.

With trickery, lightning speed, directness and, when fully firing, a distinct goal threat from wide areas, Koroma is blessed with a far-encompassing skill-set that would benefit a whole host of teams, not least his former employers in London.

Despite the dominance they displayed by achieving their title-winning promotion, Orient were far from a free-scoring outfit, with the fundamentals alternatively built upon a stern backline that leaked merely 34 goals, the best defensive record across the EFL.

Even though there was a fair amount of goal distribution throughout the squad, they lacked an out-and-out talisman who could be relied upon to supply the goalscoring goods week in, week out, and winger Paul Smyth, who only scored once after Christmas, finished as the side's top scorer with ten to his name.

Make no mistake about it, addressing this issue will have a monumental bearing on their fortunes in League One, but, all things considered, to do so they should really look no further than Koroma.

If they could get him back to his best, it is likely that he would hit double digits, all the while injecting a renewed, reinforced sense of dynamism and X-Factor to their attacking plays, which could, in turn, make them a formidable force at both ends of the pitch.

There may be no shortage of suitors if he leaves Huddersfield, but Orient must leverage the homecoming scripture to Koroma if they are to land his services and provide themselves with a significant boost ahead of their pre-season preparations.