On loan Leeds United defender Cody Drameh has admitted the backlash he received for leaving the club did affect him mentally. Drameh made the temporary switch to Cardiff City in January as he went in search for regular game time at a point in the season where Leeds found themselves stretched with injuries.
At the time of the transfer, Marcelo Bielsa revealed publicly that he was keen to keep Drameh due to the state the squad found themselves in. However, the former Fulham youngster had his heart set on a move away to a place where he knew he would be playing on a regular basis.
Drameh is set to return to Elland Road this summer once pre-season comes around, but thinks the criticism he received is now well and truly behind him, even if it did affect him earlier on.
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Speaking to Wales Online, he said: "It's not a concern for me [ahead of returning this summer], but at the time, it did affect me, I won't lie. It did affect me mentally.
"I've never been in the spotlight before, so seeing my name in a negative light, which it hasn't really been before, affected me mentally. But I had to learn from it and try and rise from it, I think I have.
"I just saw it as a new challenge in Cardiff and a chance for me to grow and develop as a person."
During the first half of the season, Drameh made a handful of appearances for the Whites, including his first Premier League start against Arsenal in December. The 20-year-old endured a tough evening up against Gabriel Martinelli, who netted twice for the Gunners in a 4-1 victory.
Despite his previous lack of game time prior to that night, question marks were raised against Drameh as to whether he had what it takes to succeed in the Premier League – including from Ian Wright, who criticised his involvement in one of Martinelli’s goals.
But he has gone a long way to showing that in his five months at Cardiff, winning both the club’s player of the season and young player of the season. Drameh believes that upon his arrival at the Bluebirds, he had something to prove, which has helped provide him with an added incentive every time he has stepped out onto the pitch.
He said: "I would say so. I wasn't really too well-known, I hadn't too much game-time and stuff like that. There were a few doubts when we got beaten by Arsenal at Elland Road, there were probably a few doubts over my ability.
"I felt I had something to prove, a bit of a chip on my shoulder, and hopefully I've proven it during my time here at Cardiff.
"You have to try and learn from it. That was Ian Wright, a legend of the game, it comes with a bit of weight. Whatever they say you have to try and learn from it and not let it affect you. It was a bit of negativity but you have to learn from it."
