One of the unspoken components of success in every aspect of life is endurance, the ability to sit tight and keep going even when the odds are against you. In the case of Brighton and Hove defender Tariq Lamptey, he’s had to endure a lot of that.
Since signing for the Seagulls in 2020 from Chelsea, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. He’s since changed his nationality to play for Ghana, the country where his parents migrated from before giving birth to him in London.
But he’s also seen a lot of people doubt if he could fulfill the potential that made teams in Europe sit up and go hard for him. However, one thing has always held Tariq back, his injuries.
Since joining Brighton, he’s suffered 12 different injuries and missed 524 days in his efforts to get back to his best. But ironically, against Chelsea, the team where he came through the ranks, he was named Man of the Match as he helped his current club beat his former employers in the FA Cup fourth round.
It’s the manner of his performance that has got people in Brighton saying they have got back the player they signed from Chelsea five seasons ago. But for him, he tells Telecom Asia that during that period, he psyched himself up to understand that life has its ups and downs.
He said:
Football like life is that way, you have to go through ups and downs, and for me now, I’m enjoying football at the moment. Look, we’ve just bounced back with an FA Cup win today, so hopefully I’ll keep going and performing at the level I know I can. As long as the team keeps winning, I’ll be happy.
It’s always a really good challenge against top-class players, and I back myself one-on-one, so I’m very happy with that (my performance). I just need to continue. I’m very happy that the team got the win today.
Tariq’s contract at Brighton is up in the summer, and during this winter transfer window, there were strong reports that he could be on his way out to Ajax. But, like the ultimate professional he is, when asked if all the rumuors got into his head, his response was as impressive as his performance so far this season:
I think the rumors are part of football, and I just keep my head down and work hard every day in training, looking out for opportunities. Whenever the manager calls, I perform for the team—that is all. This win is done; now the aim is to look forward to the game on Friday night.
One of the traits that has made the Ghanaian a likable footballer is that he’s not just a good player but also a very good teammate to have. He was signed by Graham Potter, excelled under Roberto de Zerbi, and is now holding up a place in Fabian Herzuler’s team, even last night he played as a left back.
He’s had to bide his time, especially with the club signing new players in his position, and he needed to start all over again. But having come back from looking from the outside and helping them reach the fourth round of the FA Cup, he now wants to go all the way and win.
Brighton has never won a major trophy in their history, with the 1983 FA Cup final—their closest attempt, which they lost in a replay to Manchester United—standing as their most significant achievement. Lamptey now wants to help them go all the way in the FA Cup this season.
We are looking to go as far as possible, and like he said (the manager) in the press conference, we are looking to win it. We need to keep taking it round by round and see where it goes.
Tariq’s form is generating a lot of excitement back home in Ghana, but his beloved Black Stars will not be playing in this year’s AFCON. They failed to qualify for the competition for the first time since 2004. But the defender, who admits the situation is not ideal, says they now have to make sure that this year is better than the one that just passed.
He said of Ghana's failure to qualify for the AFCON:
Of course, it's not ideal for us, but we have some big games coming up, so we have to look forward to that. We go into every tournament looking to qualify and win it, but now we have to look forward to the games in March.
As he looked to leave, Tariq wanted to pass one last message to young kids in Ghana. At the end of each season, he gathers all the boots and jerseys he’s used and takes them back home to young kids who dream of becoming professional footballers one day. He said he will continue to do this as long as he is still a pro.
He concluded:
I think they should believe in their ability and believe in themselves. When you get your chance, just make sure you take it. Keep working hard, never doubt yourself, and make sure you enjoy what you do. We do this because we love it, and the opportunity will come. So all I will say is keep praying, and the opportunity will come. You will get what you deserve, and we will keep trying to help them.
