When Ejike Uzoenyi reported for pre-season at Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of the 2014/15 he had just come from playing at the FIFA World Cup and so had huge hopes which ultimately turned into misery.
Uzoenyi had won the 2013 AFCON with Nigeria in South Africa the previous before ending up as the most valuable player at the CHAN finals the following year.
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Such was the hype around Uzoenyi that Sundowns had to muscle their way past Orlando Pirates, TP Mazembe, and teams from Europe.
"The truth is that I should have come back home to Nigeria first before I sign for Sundowns for spiritual purposes," Uzoenyi tells KickOff.
"Then my issue became that I felt I wasn't signed by the coach Pitso Mosimane.
"Pitso did receive me well but as time went on, I realised that it was more the people around the club that wanted me more than the coach.
"The decision of the coach is always important because he is the one who will improve you and make you play then give feedback to management.
"My case became one of that I wasn't play while the team was winning so management couldn't say anything.
"At that time, I had one of the bigger profiles after having played at the 2014 World Cup.
"I still have massive respect for Pitso, I feel I wasn't a signing of his choice but of management.
"It felt like he wanted to have been the one who made the decision related to bringing me to the club instead of anyone else at the club.
"I don't really think Pitso wanted me at Sundowns.
"Pitso is a big coach who wanted to have been the one who makes all the decisions related to players at the club.
"In the end Pitso did what he had to do because I wasn't a player that he pushed for.
"My case became worse with the surgery which kept me out all season after a rehab lasting more than six months.
"I have let what happened at Sundowns slide because it is in the past, but you will be surprised to hear that everyone at Sundowns knew how much I was earning.
"Sundowns is a club that I respect to this day, but I was hurt that my earnings were made known to everyone at Chloorkop.
"The other players used to look at me with that mentality of that I'm a foreigner who is not playing but just earning because they knew how much I was getting.
"Beating South Africa at CHAN also didn't help my situation because the Bafana players were labelled with some unpleasant names by the Sports Minster (Fikile Mbalula).
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"I was looked at as being the guy who is at Sundowns just to enjoy the money.
"I didn't get any protection and I cried without having the power to respond because I was just a player who came to play football.
"(Patrice) Motsepe really liked me, looked after me well, and even sent people to my wedding in Nigeria so I wish I could have done more for the club," says Uzoenyi.