New O’s forward ready to take his opportunity under old boss Ian Hendon

Leyton Orient’s latest recruit Paul McCallum has been backed to succeed at Brisbane Road by his former manager Gavin Rose.

Dulwich Hamlet boss Rose helped nurture the forwards talent back in the 2010/11 campaign and played a part in the youngster securing a move to West Ham United.

He was just 17 when he departed Dulwich to join the Hammers and had the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool interested in his signature before putting pen to paper with the Upton Park outfit.

Although he was released this summer without making a first team appearance for the Premier League club, Rose believes McCallum can shine at Orient.

The 21-year-old will be working with Ian Hendon at Brisbane Road, who was his development coach at West Ham, and the Dulwich boss believes that will help.

Rose said: “Paul’s contract finished in the summer with West Ham but Ian knows him and when he moved to the club, Ian was the development manager at the time.

“Ian will know exactly what type of person he is getting. Paul is a very honest player. He is strong and likes to bring people into the game. He can score goals and he holds the ball up well.

“He still keeps in contact with Dulwich and is very grounded, he is a really grounded boy.”

McCallum was loaned out numerous times during his four-year spell with West Ham and enjoyed success in the past with AFC Wimbledon, Aldershot and Torquay.

He, like many other youngsters, failed to make the grade at Upton Park, though, but Rose believes the move to the Hammers was a good thing.

The Dulwich manager expects McCallum to make the most of his opportunity under Hendon at Orient after signing a two-year deal.

Rose added: “What people forget is when they leave us to join a team like West Ham they are missing a lot of steps in between, it is a big jump.

“He left us when he was 17, but has had the grounding of a professional footballer now and is ready to be a professional footballer now at Leyton Orient.

“If he didn’t leave Dulwich when he did then he might not have got this opportunity so I think he will do well, especially under Ian.”