All Whites defender Tommy Smith has been rewarded for his form at Ipswich Town with a new two-year contract at the English Championship club.
But Smith, selected this week in Ricki Herbert's squad for June's Oceania Nations Cup, has revealed it could have been very different.
The 22-year-old is a product of the Ipswich academy and has made 64 appearances for the first team, but Smith told the East Anglian Daily Times he considered leaving Portman Road before an extended run in the starting XI put his mind at ease.
Smith experienced a turbulent start to the season, being part of some heavy defeats and eventually being dropped by manager Paul Jewell. But on his return to the side in January, the centre-back went on to start the last 22 games of the campaign as Ipswich finished 15th in the 24-team competition.
"It was a year of ups and downs but I was pleased with how I performed at the back end of the season and how we played as a team as well," Smith said. "There were definite signs of progress and I think we reaped the benefits of having a settled side.