Former Leeds United defender calls for West Ham target’s situation to be clarified

West Ham United target Andy O’Brien’s situation needs to be cleared up, according to former Leeds defender Dominic Matteo.

O’Brien told Leeds boss Simon Grayson he did not want to play in their game against Burnley last weekend.

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce has been linked with a move for O’Brien but initially thought Leeds would not be prepared to let him leave on loan.

Matteo told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “He’ll come in for a lot of criticism now, and perhaps rightly so, but the situation is very strange and it seems quite out of character for him.

“It’s not what I would have expected. It’s important that we get a more details about why this has happened and what’s gone on behind the scenes. We’re in the dark at the moment.”

 

Baldock has Premier ambition

Last Updated: Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:39

West Ham striker Sam Baldock is confident it will not be long before he can add Barclays Premier League football to his CV.

Baldock, 22, has scored five goals in 10 appearances for the Hammers since signing for an undisclosed fee from MK Dons at the end of August. He had already fired six in as many games for the Dons this season.

The 22-year-old, the only Hammers player used in the npower Championship this season who has never played in the top flight, told the club’s official website: “It was quite easy to choose West Ham. It’s a Premier League set-up and it has Premier League ambition.

“I think if we carry on as we are, we will be there next year. The professionalism at West Ham is pretty high.

“I’m the only player in the squad who has not played in the Premier League. It’s good to learn from these types of players. The whole country pays more attention to the Premier League than they do any other division. That’s where we want to be.”