Dapo Afolayan says he understood the need to come out of the Bolton Wanderers team and believes he responded and reacted in the right way to get back into the side.
Bolton's top scorer this season was taken out of the Wanderers starting line-up for two games on the trot against Ipswich Town and Shrewsbury Town.
The attacker had experienced a dip compared to his early season form, but Ian Evatt also has employed a new 3-5-2 formation which left no place for Afolayan in his usual left-wing spot due to operating wing-backs.
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Afolayan came off the bench to have an impact in both of those games and was handed a starting place once more as he thrived in the 6-0 demolition of Sunderland over the weekend.
Afolayan has reflected on being taken out of the starting team temporarily and revealed there were conversations with Wanderers boss Evatt about the decision.
And the Bolton attacker believes he reacted in the correct way to being taken out of the team as he believes it does not feel like his first full season in men's football.
Afolayan said: “As a player you want to be in every game. I had a conversation with the manager and he spoke about the change in shape and system. As a player you have to understand it and keep going.
“I know the quality I can bring to the team, so if I am playing or if I am not, I will bring it off the bench if I have to.
“I have had to adapt my game a little bit to fit into the new system but I want to keep learning, keep watching clips and hopefully improve.
“The manager said about the change in shape, needing to go a different way. I understood it, being honest, it happens to the best of players.
“You have to respond and react. You have to work harder to show you should be in the team and try to have an impact, which I have tried to do.
“To me it doesn’t seem like that (first full season in men's football). Playing in the National League, that is as tough as it gets. And I have had half-season loans at a few clubs where things haven’t worked out.
“People say this is my first full season in the EFL as a men’s player but I am just trying to show what I can do.
“Being at a club like this helps – there are amazing supporters, facilities, a great stadium, it all helps. A lot of stuff is taken off my shoulders and my job is just to go out there and show what I can do."
Afolayan started upfront alongside January signing Dion Charles in the win over the Black Cats, with the former scoring and the latter bagging a brace.
Afolayan had good things to say about the new Wanderers striker and is looking forward to further developing a relationship on the pitch with the Northern Ireland international.
Afolayan said: “It is good, we have a good relationship off the pitch. He is a good lad and he can clearly finish.
"The type of player I am, if I’m not scoring I am looking for a team-mate, I can pick a pass, so having him there is great. I think he’ll say the same because he gives me a pass option and I know that if I put him through, he will most likely score.
“I think it can get better and better."
