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O'Connor has admitted to having been disappointed with his form and told the Dorset press yesterday: "It's been a big disappointment. The manager brought me in thinking I could perform as I had when I was here before, but it just didn't happen. advertisement. I was excited when I found out that Bournemouth wanted me. I was looking forward to coming back but I didn't do the business.
"There are a number of reasons, but mainly fitness. I think I've had more injuries in the past three months than I had in all the time I was here before. I hadn't played for a while when I first came back but didn't think it would affect me that much because I was still training well and keeping myself fit.
"The first injury knocked me back two weeks in pre-season and I wasn't sharp when I came back. It wasn't happening for me and that's why my confidence went. But it's been physical rather than mental. We had a bad start and although it wasn't entirely my fault, I will take my share of the blame. I hope the team continues to kick on after a couple of good results because I rate Kevin Bond as a manager. It's been tough for everybody and my performances haven't helped as such."
Manager Bond said: "I think Garreth suffered because he'd had the best part of a year out of competitive football and found it difficult to recapture the form we all know he's capable of. He worked as hard as he could to try to regain his form, but it didn't quite happen for him. He didn't need telling, he knew straight away and was as disappointed as us. If he gets somewhere near where he was before, then I would be very interested in looking at him again."
It is believed his name has been circulated by the Clarets to confirm that he is again available for loan or transfer.