As Moses Odubajo knows only too well, things can change quickly in football.
The defender looked to be on his way out of Sheffield Wednesday following a meeting with manager Garry Monk last January.
Odubajo, a free transfer recruit in the summer of 2019 following his release by Brentford, was told he was free to leave the Championship club on loan, having fallen out of Monk's plans. He fell behind Osaze Urhoghide, Liam Palmer and Morgan Fox in the pecking order for a starting spot in the full-back positions following a difficult start to his Owls career.
But Odubajo turned down the opportunity to go and instead vowed to prove Monk wrong.
His attitude and application in training impressed Monk and Odubajo was recalled to the starting XI at Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup. He made a further two appearances before picking up a hamstring injury, a knock which ruled him out of action for a lengthy period.
Speaking for the first time about his conversation with Monk, Odubajo told The Star: “I called the gaffer and asked for a meeting.
"Things were said back and forth and in a nutshell, he told me he wouldn’t stand in my way if I wanted to leave the club on loan.
"Initially I decided to assess my options and have a good think about things.
"It didn’t take me long to think there was no point continuing to do that when I knew I was good enough to be in the squad and play.
"It made me get my head down and stick at it and try to show everyone what I know I can do on the pitch.
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"I started training well and before I knew it doors were starting to open up in terms of getting back into the starting 11, then there was an injury [to Fox] that brought me back into the team."
Odubajo, who has played 17 times since moving to Hillsborough, has admitted this season has been the "toughest of his career".
But the 26-year-old has pledged to rediscover his best form when football returns. Wednesday have not played a match since March 7 due to the coronavirus crisis.
