Injury woes come back to cost Joey O’Brien his West Ham career

An assured defender when fit, Joey O'Brien has not been able to get a run of games for over two years.

News arrived, this afternoon, that O'Brien has not had his contract renewed by West Ham. The Hammers announced their list of retained players for next season and the 30-year-old Irishman is not on it. Elliot Lee, Leo Chambers, Amos Nasha, Nathan Mavila and Jordan Brown have also been released by the club but O'Brien is the headline casualty. A statement on the West Ham website notes that O'Brien helped the club 'win promotion and re-establish itself in the Premier League'. He joined the club in 2011 and his final contract with them expires at the end of this month. O'Brien was a fixture in the Hammers' defence in 2011/12 and the following season. He faced more competition for his place in 2013/14 and was dogged by injuries in the two most recent seasons. In total, he played 91 times over five seasons and scored five goals. Speaking to us ahead of last season, O'Brien was hopeful for a great club season after returning refreshed from a summer break. Unfortunately, he only played two Europa League matches and made one FA Cup appearance. O'Brien made his Ireland debut back in 2006, against Sweden, and has represented Ireland five times at senior level. He was last in the Irish squad in 2014.