Johnny Russell became a fan favourite during his time at Derby County and the tricky winger has now explained why he left Pride Park for Sporting Kansas City.
Derby have homed some of the Championship’s most memorable players, including Chris Martin, Tom Ince and Matej Vydra.
Johnny Russell – who arrived from Dundee United in the summer of 2013 – quickly became one of the second tier’s most exciting players to watch.
Russell enjoyed driving at defenders with his searing pace and cutting in from the right flank to unleash his wand of a left foot.
That was the Scotsman’s trademark move and plenty of times during the 2013/14 campaign, the jet-heeled winger scored some memorable goals, including a rocket in the 5-0 demolition of Nottingham Forest.
Describing his time under Steve McLaren as ‘close to perfect’, Derby would lose in the play-off final against Queens Park Rangers.
Russell scored nine Championship goals in that season, the joint-most he managed in a single campaign (2015/16), with the winger now explaining why he left Derbyshire in January 2018.
Johnny Russell shares the reason for leaving Derby County
Russell was snapped up by MLS side Sporting Kansas City after making over 200 appearances for Derby, including 182 in the second tier.
The 34-year-old moved on from the Rams after rejecting a new contract at the club when Gary Rowett was in charge. Over six years on from his exit, Russell has unveiled the shocking reason why he left.
“A lot things had happened in my last year to 18 months before I left,” Russell told the Rams Review podcast.
“There was just a lot of things behind the scenes; there were some things that were directed at me and I found out a few things that the club were doing behind my back that I just felt disappointed in the way I was treated or given the respect I felt I deserved in certain situations.
“There were some things that went on behind the scenes and some things done that if I actually told them, then there would be some people there who would not look the greatest to be honest.
“None of the people are at the club anymore so I’m not going to drag it back up or speak about people but after that I just lost something there that affected my game massively, which is my fault. I’m not blaming someone else, I can control that; I didn’t, and I let it seep into my game.”
Johnny Russell lost the love for football at Derby County
Russell never disclosed exactly what happened, although, by the sounds of what he said, he fell out with certain members of staff.
That is information that will remain private but the veteran winger has explained how his love for football eroded towards the end of his Rams career.
He added: “Just completely lost the love playing the game. I just didn’t enjoy it, and didn’t want to be there most days to be honest.
“I think most people could see that in my performances that I had lost something, I’d lost a spark that most people would associate with me. I just didn’t see a way back and I have to change this; the situation isn’t going to change so I’m going to have to change it.
“That was why I knew in my head that, I was out contract and the club were trying to offer me a new contract and I just knew that was going to be my last year.”
The circumstances which saw Russell leave the club are ultimately disappointing and in an ideal world, he would have been kept at Pride Park.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and the Scottish wizard has since plundered 65 goals and supplied 35 assists in 212 appearances for Kansas City, seemingly rediscovering his love for football in the MLS.
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