New ChampionshipMiddlesbrough keeper Darren Randolph says the arrival of Joe Hart prompted him to leave West Ham for his World Cup ambitions.
"I wasn't going to hang around and warm the bench," the Republic of Ireland international told BBC Tees.
"It's a World Cup year, the Republic of Ireland have a good position in the group and if I have any kind of dreams to play in the World Cup then I need to be playing games."
"It wouldn't have happened so often if I stayed at West Ham as it was made clear, so I wasn't going to just sit on the bench and take up a place and possibly miss out on chance to playing at a World Cup," he added.
"I had to do what that was best for me and that happens in football so I had to leave."