OBUA - HAMMERS WANTED ME

Obua - was wanted by Hammers.

Hearts midfielder David Obua claims West Ham were keen to sign him before he followed Csaba Laszlo to Tynecastle.

The Ugandan secured a work permit allowing him to move to Scotland yesterday, and he revealed working with his former national team coach at club level was precisely the challenge he was looking for.

However Obua, who is recovering from a rib injury, admits his career could have followed a different path if Laszlo was not lured to Edinburgh by Hearts last month.

"It is always the manager's influence which has a bearing on a player and I have worked with Csaba for the past two years with Uganda," Obua told www.heartsfc.co.uk.

"He is the person who has really made me who I am today. West Ham United and Chievo were interested in signing me but Csaba is the reason I decided to come to Hearts."

Obua signed for Hearts after a spell in South Africa playing for Kaizer Chiefs, and like the rest of his new team-mates, the 24-year-old is determined to ensure the club improve on last season's performance, when the Jambos finished a lowly eighth in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

"We have to be realistic with our targets but I am looking forward to getting back into training, working hard as a team and getting Hearts into the UEFA Cup and winning trophies again," he said.