"Nine years are going to pass anyway. I'd rather be someplace I want to be than someplace I could have been."

What do you think Mr. Allamby means by this?

Mr. Allamby is suggesting that it is better to make choices that will lead to a desirable outcome, rather than settling for a less desirable outcome that is inevitable. He is emphasizing the importance of making decisions that will lead to a better future, rather than simply accepting what is predetermined.