Late last week, Middlesbrough confirmed the signing of Ireland international goalkeeper Darren Randolph for a fee of around £5 million.
Randolph leaving West Ham came just days after Slaven Bilic's side acquired Joe Hart on loan from Man City.
Speaking to BBC Tees, Randolph explained that he knew the signing of Hart would mean him slipping down the pecking order at the London Stadium.
Sitting on the bench every week - and so possibly damaging his hope of going to next summer's World Cup - was not a viable option for the Bray man.
I wasn't going to hang around and warm the bench.
It's a World Cup year, the Republic of Ireland have a good position in the group and if I have any kind of dreams to play in the World Cup then I need to be playing games.
Randolph has been first choice for Martin O'Neill for the last 21 months. That's despite often not being first choice for West Ham.
Last season, the 30-year-old started 22 Premier League games for the Premier League side as he and Adrian shared the job at various points.
With competition for the Ireland number one jersey increasing from both Keiren Westwood and Rob Elliot, Randolph knew he had to be playing first team football.
It wouldn't have happened so often if I stayed at West Ham as it was made clear, so I wasn't going to just sit on the bench and take up a place and possibly miss out on chance to playing at a World Cup.
I had to do what that was best for me and that happens in football so I had to leave.
Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
