'As a footballer you’ve always got stuff to prove' - Josh Koroma on his new start at Chesterfield
Josh Koroma acknowledges he has plenty to prove after heading north to revive his career at Chesterfield.
The winger’s return to boyhood club Leyton Orient didn’t go to plan last season and he ended it not in manager Richie Willens’ plans.
He is contracted there until 2028 and was advised to go and find a new place to play, hence signing in at Chesterfield on a season-long deal.
"I think last season was just down to form. I didn’t perform well enough, bottom line,” Koroma told the Derbyshire Times.
“As a footballer you’ve always got stuff to prove. I started playing first team football when I was around 17, so it’s nine or ten years now and that’s mad really. I’m just trying to enjoy every moment of it.”
Koroma went as as the high Championship in his six years at Huddersfield. Loan stints at Rotherham and Portsmouth followed and then came the switch to League One with Leyton and now League Two with Chesterfield.
At the age of 27, these should be his peak years. Manager Paul Cook wants him to rediscover his love for football and it’s so far so good.
“As soon as I got here, all the lads are proper sound and it has helped me settle in,” he said.
"Myself and the manager are getting on well. I also knew Webby (Danny Webb, assistant manager) before I came here. He worked with me as a kid, so that’s made it easier as well.
"I’m happy at the moment. Training has been fun, the games have been fun. I just have to focus on tomorrow now.”
Although primarily a wide player, Koroma can play across all four front positions.
He found goals hard to come by last season and ahead of tomorrow’s League Two opener against Fleetwood, he wants to start chipping in.
"I have seen our squad and I’m confident in the group of players we’ve got,” he added.
"As you saw with the cup game at Fleetwood last week, we lost but we played well and had chances. We didn’t score and that’s on me and the attackers and we’ll try and rectify it tomorrow.
"As an attacking unit obviously we are always trying to score goals. The main thing is that if we try and outscore each other then we will be alright.”