Lewis O’Brien has spoken out after his loan move from Nottingham Forest to Championship side Middlesbrough.
The 24-year-old midfielder hasn’t made the impact he would’ve anticipated at the City Ground, only making 13 appearances for the Reds, before being loaned out in January.
Former Huddersfield man O’Brien was set for a loan move to Blackburn Rovers, but the deal collapsed with a move to DC United in the MLS confirmed instead.
However, after his return from the US, the midfielder admits he is out to “prove people wrong” this season.
Lewis O’Brien talks about his desire to kick on in his career
Speaking to local media in Middlesbrough, the Forest loanee admitted that things haven’t gone to plan in recent years, but wants to remind people of the quality he possesses.
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“I’ve always wanted to play football, that’s what I love doing. As soon as the opportunity came [to join Middlesbrough], it was a no-brainer.
“If you look back at my career I’ve played every game I possibly could then got to Nottingham and didn’t play as much as I wanted, then obviously the thing in January.
“So it just made me more hungry and have more desire to play and prove to people that I still am the player I used to be and I’m better than the player people used to see.
“My career trajectory was on the up at one point then it levelled off and things went wrong and I just feel like I still have places to go and to prove I can get to these places.
“There was outside factors that contributed to the things that have happened and it wasn’t that I wasn’t great at football or whatever people might think. I just want to get on the pitch and show people what I can do.”