West Ham's in-form central defender Angelo Ogbonna had admitted that he misses home - but believes he's a better player as a result of playing in the Premier League.
Ogbonna, speaking ahead of tomorrow's vitally-important clash with Newcastle United was talking to Italian media in the wake of Italy's failure to qualify for next summer's World Cup Finals in Russia.Embed from Getty Images
And despite missing the creature comforts one associates with being close to home, the 29-year-old former Juventus star admitted that he has blossomed as a player since moving to West Ham.
"Of course I miss Cassino, where I grew up and Turin, where I spent my adolescence," he said. "These places made me what I am, but I don't regret leaving Italy.
"I think I have changed a lot in England, especially from the point of view of character. Going abroad has made me stronger - and the Premier League is the most difficult championship in the world now."
Embed from Getty Images
Ogbonna also revealed that he was hugely disappointed to be part of the first Italian squad to fail to qualify for the World Cup since a 17-year-old wowed crowds in Sweden back in 1958 - and vowed to win a regular place back in the team.
"To tell the truth, I don't know if my absence is political or technical," he mused. "It may have been political, but I hope not. It's strange not being considered - like Mario Balotelli, with whom I started the Blue path.
"West Ham are improving now, but you need more than to simply play in an important league. My goal is to return to the national team since I've not been called up lately and I don't understood why.
"It was assumed that we had to go to the World Cup just because we're Italy. It was taken for granted. If we want to start again and not waste the opportunity, we must realise that we cannot live in the past".
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