Felix Wiedwald has insisted that his determination to have his future in his own hands played a key role in his decision to join Leeds United last summer.
The then Werder Bremen head coach Alexander Nouri made it clear Wiedwald would not be his first choice between the sticks at the Bundesliga club and the goalkeeper admits that it was difficult to accept the situation initially.
He conceded that his family wanted to continue in Bremen, but he had to take the decision to accept an offer to join Leeds last summer as he was not going to play had he remained at the club.
Asked how he felt when Nouri dropped him, Wiedwald told German daily Bild: “I had to let it sink in first. After all, my family wanted to stay in Bremen.
“But now I have arrived at Leeds and I am very satisfied. It has been a good step for me.”
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The 27-year-old also insisted that he did not want to bide his time and wait for the first choice goalkeeper to commit mistakes or Nouri to be sacked as he wanted the reins of his career in his hands.
Asked if he could have stayed at Werder Bremen, the goalkeeper said: “Then I would have depended on a goalkeeping error and change of coach.
"No, I wanted to shape my future myself.”
Nouri was eventually sacked on 30th September after a poor start to the season and Florian Kohfeldt took charge of the first team.
