Palmer planning to have success at ‘massive’ club
Leyton Orient's new signing Ollie Palmer (second from the left) in pre-season training with the club (pic: Simon O'Connor). - Credit: Archant
Young forward hails head coach Ian Hendon as Brisbane Road side target title
Leyton Orient boss Ian Hendon, first-team coach Kevin Nugent and goalkeeper coach Lee Harrison issue instructions at Braintree (pic: Simon O'Connor) - Credit: Archant
Leyton Orient announced the signing of forward Ollie Palmer last week for an undisclosed fee from Mansfield Town and the 23-year-old has revealed one of the main reasons why he decided to move to London.
Palmer had interest from other Football League clubs, but conceded the drive and desire of head coach Ian Hendon to win the title convinced him a move to Brisbane Road was right.
He made his debut at the start of the second half against Braintree Town on Friday night as the O’s lost 2-1 to the National League outfit in their first friendly game of the season.
Although a loss wasn’t what anyone wanted, Palmer is confident the 2015/16 campaign will end in success for Orient.
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He said: “It was an easy decision to join the club. I did have a couple of league teams interested, sides that will be going for promotion this season and others that finished around the play-offs last time, but I had a few meetings and when I met the gaffer he sounded positive.
“He wants to work with me, develop me and his focus on winning the league is so strong. That kind of stood out to be honest, that he really wants to win this league.
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“He is a young manager and probably wants to prove himself as well. He has a great changing room and I wanted to be a part of that and to be a part of his plans at the club.”
Palmer moves to the O’s following a difficult two-year spell with the Stags.
The young forward scored seven goals in 64 appearances for Mansfield, featuring off the substitutes bench mostly, but enjoyed success on loan at Grimsby Town last year.
He netted eight times for the Mariners at the end of last season and is confident he can replicate that form at Brisbane Road, adding: “I feel ready now. I am 23 and I went to Mansfield and even though things didn’t work out, I have still got a feel for the league.
“Coming into this changing room, compared to what I came up against last season, makes me feel so positive. I know there are some big clubs going for it this year like Portsmouth, Luton and others like Northampton and Plymouth, so there are big teams going for promotion this year, but we are part of that package. We’re one of the big clubs going for it.”
Palmer is relishing the prospect of representing a club of Orient’s stature and believes he will learn a great deal under the management of Hendon.
It is early days for everyone at the O’s following the disaster of last year, but the confidence of their forward is pleasing.
He added: “It is a massive club and I didn’t need anyone to tell me that before I came here.
“I have not been anywhere like this before in my career. The facilities, the way it is run and the set up is so professional and this is what I have always wanted – to be at a club with this type of structure.
“I know I am going to learn a lot at Orient and I can’t wait to get going.”
