Cody Drameh admitted he had to "rise" from his mental slump at the beginning of his loan at Cardiff City after a backlash from Leeds United fans affected him badly.
The right-back was crowned Cardiff City's player of the season and young player of the season at last Saturday's end-of-year awards ceremony, despite arriving at the club half-way through the campaign. However, few would say he was undeserving of the accolade, given the remarkable consistency of his performances since joining the Bluebirds in January, which has proved to be a stellar bit of business.
The transfer did cause a stir up in Yorkshire, though. Marcelo Bielsa wanted Drameh to stay and be a bit-part player in his squad as Leeds scrapped to avoid relegation to the Championship. The 20-year-old, though, wanted to get out and get games under his belt.
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It prompted a small section of supporters up in Leeds to turn on Drameh for deciding to go against the manager for the betterment of his own career. The negative reaction did not escape the youngster, who says he was affected by the comments from fans.
"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," he told WalesOnline.
"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."
Drameh credited his sports psychologist after his double award win last weekend, a person from whom he seeks advice and counsel to help him navigate through those choppy waters — which he had never encountered before — but has seemingly come out the other side in a far healthier place.
His decision to force through a move to Cardiff in January was in part prompted by a desire to prove a point to himself and disprove the detractors. He admitted he had a "chip on his shoulder" and wanted to showcase his talent to the world.
It came after Arsenal legend Ian Wright criticised Drameh following Leeds' 4-1 defeat by the Gunners back in December, saying the right-back's positioning was "awful" for a Gabriel Martinelli goal.
Drameh, though, speaking with a maturity which belies his 20 years, said he had the bit between his teeth when he decided to head out on loan and was determined to get headlines for more positive performances in the back half of the season.
"I would say so," he replied when asked if he felt he had a point to prove. "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."
Drameh heads back to his parent club this summer and has another two years left on his deal there. There is a new manager in place now, of course, in Jesse Marsch, who Drameh has not yet spoken to.
But, as bullish as ever, Drameh does not want to be playing second fiddle next season, no matter what division Leeds find themselves in. He has loved his role as a first-choice right-back at Cardiff and wants similar assurances from Marsch and his coaching stuff this summer
"I think game time for me is really important," he said. "You saw in January, if I'm not promised game time then I don't really want to be waiting around.
"As a player, everyone wants to play. If you're not in that mindset then I don't know why you're playing football. I want to play games, I'm very young but there are players in my age bracket who have already played 100 games! That's where I want to be."
If those conversations don't meet Drameh's criteria, has a return to Cardiff been ruled out in his mind? "No!" he responded. "My options are very open. But I've got to see. I am contracted to Leeds and see what they are saying with me."
Drameh has led the way and proved to be a stellar example for the young players coming through at Cardiff. At 20, he has set the benchmark for City's own academy graduates to aspire to next season and beyond.
The academy players in situ will form a big part of Steve Morison's squad next year, though, and will have to produce more than they have this year. But Drameh allayed any concerns over the crop currently bursting through and believes the future looks bright for Cardiff.
"There are some great lads coming through," he said of Cardiff's budding talents. "You've seen the likes of Rubin Colwill, Isaak Davies, Ollie Denham, these are great players coming through.
"So just support them, encourage them in the future and they will be top, top players."
