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Coventry City manager, Frank Lampard, has revealed why Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi decided to leave Nottingham Forest for the Championship side.
Lampard said Awoniyi was frustrated by his limited playing time at Forest and was eager to secure regular football elsewhere.
The Nigeria international joined Coventry City during the summer transfer window after ending last season strongly with Nottingham Forest.
Awoniyi scored three goals and provided two assists in his final six appearances for Forest, helping him attract interest from Coventry.
Speaking during a pre-match press conference ahead of Coventry City’s Premier League opener against Arsenal, Lampard praised the striker’s qualities and work rate.
The former Chelsea manager also recalled Awoniyi’s impressive performance against Chelsea during his time in charge of the London club.
“Regarding Taiwo, we are familiar with his Premier League background. He has scored against my team in the past when I was at Chelsea. I have always regarded him as a significant threat as an opponent,” he stated.
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He further explained that the newly promoted club opted to recruit the Nigerian striker because of his Premier League experience, emphasising the power and strength that Awoniyi brings to the team.
“When evaluating our recruitment strategy, we aimed to incorporate Premier League experience. We sought power and strength, a player capable of holding the ball up, and I believe he is immensely valuable,” he added.
Lampard indicated that the former Union Berlin striker joined the Sky Blues in pursuit of regular playing time.
“There is a reason why Taiwo left Nottingham Forest and came to us. We really like him and hope he’s going to be great for us. We are aware of that, and I would flip that to the mental side of Taiwo. Probably, he is frustrated with game time.
“Thus, I appreciate a player who is eager to play and secure his minutes. Naturally, we must take care of him and prepare him. However, I value a player who aspires to be the key figure and play more minutes,” he stated.
Awoniyi faced a challenging season at Nottingham Forest, with his opportunities for regular football curtailed by the presence of Chris Wood and Brazilian forward, Igor Jesus.
