James Ward-Prowse speaks out on Nottingham Forest exit and what he had to 'endure'
James Ward-Prowse says his failed loan at Nottingham Forest has ‘really lit a fire in me to go out and prove people wrong’.
The 30-year-old joined the Reds in the summer, on what was supposed to be a season-long loan. However, he is now back with parent club West Ham having had that arrangement terminated after just five Premier League starts.
Ward-Prowse was involved at the start of the campaign but fell down the pecking order with Ryan Yates, Nicolas Dominguez and Elliot Anderson dominating game-time, even with Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare out injured.
READ MORE: Nottingham Forest predicted XI to face Exeter City as Nuno makes big changes
READ MORE: 'Concrete and ambitious' £33m offer emerges as Nottingham Forest plot summer transfer raid
The duo’s return has left the former Southampton man surplus to requirements and needing to show new Hammers boss Graham Potter what he can do, in a way he was not able to convince Nuno Espirito Santo.
Speaking to the West Ham website, Ward-Prowse admitted his time at the City Ground had been tough. “It's good to be back! Obviously it was a strange feeling and situation to leave the club in the first place, but that's football,” he said.
“Even though the last few months for me personally haven't been the most productive as I would have liked on the pitch, I feel as though the whole experience off it and the sort of different tests that I've had to endure have sort of benefited me now.
"And I think I'll look back on the experience and I'll be grateful for it. It's really lit a fire in me to go out and prove people wrong.
“I just want to get back out on the pitch. I think I'm the sort of character that wants to play every minute of every game.
“That's what I've been used to over the years, so to have had that brief period in the first half of the season where I haven't, it's tested those parts of my character again from when I was younger and relit that fire inside of me to get out there and to get playing again and enter a new chapter under the new head coach with a little bit more optimism.
“When a new head coach comes in, everybody starts again on zero. There's a clean slate. So especially for me coming back, it's a fresh opportunity.
“Football is a difficult environment at times. But I've always tried to stay honest to myself as to who I am and not change. And regardless of your footballing situation, above all, the team is the most important thing.
“Whether you're playing or whether you're not, I've learned in the last few months, especially, that you have to be good around the place, even if you're not playing, because the opportunities will come at some point and you have to be ready to take them.
“My influence will hopefully help in the dressing room, but obviously, more importantly, I want to be out there and influencing games.
“I don't feel physically any different. I feel mentally stronger and I feel like I'm ready to have an impact on the club for hopefully many years to come.”
Nuno explained why Ward-Prowse was sent back to West Ham. “It was very hard because since James came in he was a big help for us. I had the chance to speak to him and explain that it wasn’t an easy situation and every game he played he helped us.
“There was a moment where he was not playing and then his parent club told us that their intention was to call for him and the intention was that everybody felt that the decision was for the best for all parties.”
