Leeds United Issue Statement on O'Brien

Andy O'Brien will resume training this week with Leeds United and will be available for selection.
The club brought disciplinary action against the player following his refusal to play against Burnley on the 19th November 2011. It was announced at that time that the player's future would be determined after a full investigation.
The investigation has led to a fuller understanding of the issues that the player has faced since the start of the season, which has seen him seek specialist medical treatment at the Sporting Chance Clinic for depression. It is felt he is now ready to recommence training and the club will facilitate any further treatment that is required.
The club said: "We were exceptionally disappointed when Andy refused to play before the Burnley game and felt let down. It is now apparent that there were a number of issues that he was dealing with at that time which affected him in a way we could not imagine and he was not in a right state of mind to make such decisions. On this basis we believe he deserves a second chance and we will do everything we can to assist him."
The club would appeal to its fans to support the player on his road back to first team action.

O'Brien rejects Bristol City offer

Andy O'Brien appears to be digging in his heels at Leeds United.O’Brien was in talks with Bristol City last Thursday and appeared all set to sign before the emergency loan window closed for the year.But the former Republic of Ireland international stunned City boss Derek McInnes by turning down the 18-month contract on offer.This may be an attempt to engineer a move to West Ham who are reportedly interested in the player.
O’Brien is facing an uncertain future at Elland Road, after allegedly refusing to play for Simon Grayson in a game at Burnley earlier this month.The 32-year-old is expecting to be hit with heavy punishment by Leeds chairman Ken Bates.

“We’re evaluating the situation and in the process of deciding how to go forward.," said Bates.

“Clearly Andy doesn’t want to play for Leeds anymore and something has to be done.”

O'Brien West Ham Bound?

West Ham could move for banished Leeds defender Andy O'Brien.The former Republic of Ireland star refused to play for the club last week after he had been heckled by fans.Elland Road boss Simon Grayson has said that O'Brien, 32, will now not play for the club again.And chairman Ken Bates said that as the player had refused to turn out he had effectively resigned from the club.Bates told the Yorkshire Post“The only reason Leeds United employ Andy O’Brien is to play football for us. Now, he won’t do that then clearly he no longer wants to work for Leeds United. The club are now dealing with the matter internally - but West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is an admirer of the former Newcastle and Bolton defender and sees his experience as useful to the Hammers' promotion drive.West Ham United were strongly linked with a loan move earlier this month. If Sam Allardyce is to make a move, however, he will have to do so quickly with this Thursday being the deadline for loan signings in the Football League.

O'Brien Disgrace

Leeds manager Simon Grayson insists Andy O'Brien will never represent the club again after refusing to play in their dramatic comeback victory at Burnley.O'Brien has made just three npower Championship appearances this season and has been targeted by the Leeds boo-boys but Grayson previously claimed he would not consider allowing the defender to leave on loan.However, the Leeds boss admits O'Brien no longer has a future at the club after the 32-year-old former Newcastle and Bolton man told him on Friday he never wanted to appear for Leeds again.''Andy O'Brien came to me on Friday and said that he no longer wanted to play for this football club,'' said Grayson after the 2-1 win at Turf Moor.''It came as a shock on Friday but he won't play for this football club again as long as I am here.''It came as a shock, especially after I have backed him publicly and privately over the last few weeks.

Grayson:McCormack and O'Brien Going Nowhere

Simon Grayson claimed today that he was unaware of interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers in Ross McCormack and categorically dismissed the possibility of Leeds United loaning Andy O’Brien to West Ham United.Grayson said he had received no contact from Wolves about McCormack’s situation amid strong suggestions that the Scotland international is on the Premier League club’s list of January targets.The United manager also ruled out any chance of West Ham securing a temporary deal with centre-back O’Brien by stating that the defender would be present at Elland Road after the Football League’s emergency loan deadline passes next week.McCormack’s reputation has grown after nine league goals in the first two months of the season established him as the Championship’s top scorer.Grayson said: “He’s one of the best goalscorers in the Championship.“He’s not been scoring in the last couple of games but his all-round game’s been good. He’s only a goal or two away from starting another run like he did at the start of the season.”O’Brien, meanwhile, is back in the fold at Elland Road after a long spell out of favour and Grayson said: “I won’t be letting him out on loan. There are certain players who’ll be available on loan but Andy won’t be one of them.”

Kisnorbo "We showed character"

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Leeds United defender Patrick Kisnorbo says the side showed their character in last weekends win at Leicester City. Leeds went into the game on the back of a 5-0 home defeat by Blackpool and Kisnorbo says the 1-0 win at Leicester showed the strength of character within the squad.Speaking in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Kisnorbo said, "We showed the character of the team and the players we have in our squad at Leicester. Those sort of results against Blackpool sometimes happen and it was like a freak. But the character we showed to get a result against a team that has spent fifteen or so million pounds was quite remarkable and we did a great job."We did our basics correctly and that was the difference. Our game plan we worked on all week came through."Kisnorbo is enjoying a run in the side again following the injury to Darren O`Dea recently.The Australia international has been missing from the side in mid September following his sending off against Bristol City.Youngsters Darren O`Dea and Tom Lees have struck up an excellent partnership in the centre of the Leeds defence.Lees missed the Leicester game through suspension and it gave another experienced defender a chance.Andy O`Brien lined up alongside Kisnorbo at Leicester and the pair put in a tremendous performance to limit the Leicester attack to very few chances.With O`Dea and Lees expected to be back in the squad for Leeds next trip to Burnley, it gives Leeds boss Simon Grayson a welcome headache in the centre of the Leeds defence.

Leeds win behind-closed-doors game

Mike Grella scored twice and Andy O'Brien completed another 45 minutes as Leeds United beat Leicester City in a behind-closed-doors game at Thorp Arch on Tuesday.United fielded a team largely consisting of young professionals and reserve team/under-18 manager Neil Redfearn watched his young charges win 3-0.
"It was a cracking game," said Neil. "Both teams had a couple of experienced pros in there, but the majority of the players were young lads and it really was a great game."The score might have been 3-0, but it could have gone either way. It really was a good game."Grella scored United's opener before half-time when, in almost identical fashion to Paddy Kisnorbo's goal against Newcastle on Sunday, he capitalised on a goalkeeping error at a corner.Sanchez Payne scored United's second after the break and Grella made it 3-0 when he converted a Will Hatfield cross.
"It was a really close affair for long periods," added Neil. "I was pleased with the kids because they looked strong and some of the passing was top drawer."

Falkirk 0 Leeds 2

United manager Simon Grayson used the majority of his squad for the opening game of the summer, Davide Somma, Andy O'Brien, Luciano Becchio, and Fede Bessone missing through injury.The boss planned to play almost two seperate XIs, and his first half side included summer signings Michael Brown and Paul Rachubka, along with Paddy Kisnorbo and the returning Ben Parker.The opening exchanges saw United play some decent football against the Scottish first division outfit and there were useful touches by the likes of Ramon Nunez and Lloyd Sam.In typical pre-season fashion, there were no real chances early doors although United goalkeeper Paul Rachubka did get down well to stop a Kallum Higginbotham effort inside the opening 15 minutes.United did come close on 25 minutes when Robert Snodgrass curled a free-kick into the side-netting and moments later Billy Paynter shot just wide after great work by Nunez.The lively Sam also went close when he saw his shot turned for a corner, but Leeds did go ahead on 36 minutes when a Nunez cross was turned in by Falkirk defender Thomas Scobbie.All in all it was a useful 45 minutes against a side who looked like quite lively, and as predicted Grayson made a number of changes at half-time, although not the predicted wholesale re-shuffle.There were six changes with Alex Bruce, Leigh Bromby, Aidy White, Jonny Howson, Max Gradel, and Ross McCormack were all introduced.United started the second half with some crisp passing, and it was 2-0 on 53 minutes when Aidy White fed Lloyd Sam who crossed for Snodgrass to head home from close range.Snodgrass almost repaid that favour moments later when his cross from deep found Sam, but the Falkirk keeper was equal to the header.Grayson made another raft of changes on 63 minutes and almost immediately United were denied a third goal by a goal-line clearance after McCormack swung the ball into the middle.The changes prompted a mass re-shuffle that saw Zac Thompson and Nathan Turner in the middle of the park, Lewis Turner at right-back, White moved to the right side of the midfield, and Tom Lees returned to the fray at left-back.The final 20 minutes or so saw the fluency disappear slowly with both sides have made so many changes, but Leeds still had some decent possession at times and showed good movement.With around six minutes left on the clock, Gradel was withdrawn after taking a knock and United headed into the final moments with just 10 men on the field.In the final minute, Falkirk did have a couple of opportunites when Higginbotham came within inches with a strike from distance before Scobbie headed into the arms of Cairns.
And that proved to be the final action as United picked up a 2-0 win to kick-off pre-season.