Swansea City's January recruit, Luciano Narsingh, believes that being axed by Dutch giants Ajax made him the player he is today.
The Netherlands international, who was signed from PSV Eindhoven, joined the Amsterdam club when he was seven, but by the age of 16 he was shown the exit door for being 'too small.'
But, despite his hugely emotional set back, the playmaker went on to enjoy a hugely successful career, setting a new Dutch record of 22 assists in one season with Heerenveen.
"I was at Ajax when I was a young boy, from seven years old," the winger told the club's official website, as perWales Online.
"At Ajax I played well, but they said I was too small. After I left them (at the age of 16), I spent some time with an amateur club in Amsterdam.
"Then one year after I left, I went to Heerenveen and things went well for me there.
"I think that season (2011/12) I got the record for assists in the Eredivisie.
"I had a good striker playing alongside me, Bas Dost, who scored lots of goals. I crossed a few to him and he put them away."
After taking the Eredivisie by storm, Narsingh earned a move to PSV where he further enhanced his reputation, earning his first international cap and going on to score a winner against England at Wembley.
The Dutchman decided to finally make the move to the Premier League with new manager, Paul Clement, said to have been interested in the player ever since he scored a consolation Champions league goal against Bayern Munich during his time with the German club.
Narsingh has recorded two assists in his first two league games with Swansea and the general aura around the Welsh club is improving week by week as they strive for survival in England's top tier.