Jeriah's interview with Tariq Lamptey and Danny Welbeck

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2024-11-06T06:00+00:00

Jeriah Boateng won the Premier League young writer of the year award. 📷 by Luke Nicoli.

Jeriah Boateng recently won the Premier League Young Writer of the Year for his emotive story – Back in Time.

As a reward, he met the Albion first-team squad, where he got the chance to interview two of his favourite players – Danny Welbeck and Tariq Lamptey.

Jeriah: Danny, do you feel like you’ve improved as a player from your younger days at Manchester United?

Danny: Definitely. There’s a lesson you can take out of every game and the more lessons you have, the more that you’re going to learn. The aim is to keep pushing, to be the best player and the best person you can be, and I still feel there’s more to come from me. For any player, no matter your age, you can never stop learning, and as long as you’re doing that, you are going to help your team on the pitch.

Jeriah Boateng. 📷 by James Boardman.

Jeriah: Tariq, you’re very quick on the pitch, so how do you utilise your speed when defending?

Tariq: In terms of speed, I can’t really take much credit for that – that’s down to my parents! But once you’ve got that natural pace, there are things you can work on in training, like sprinting, to see how fast you can go or to maintain your speed. In terms of defending, such as one-v-ones, I’m someone that likes to challenge myself against the best. We have a lot of good players here, and you play against some of the best players in the world, so in those situations you have to make sure you watch the ball and not the man. Then, when it’s the right time to put your foot in, you can make the tackle and win the ball. Just watch the ball, not the body movement, and keep practising against your teammates and in matches, then it comes naturally after a while.

Jeriah: Danny, it looks like you’re in the form of your life. What do you put that down to?

Danny: I’m feeling good, I’m feeling strong and the experience that I’ve built up over a number of years also plays a big part. When you’ve been in game situations many times before, you know the positions that you need to take up, the runs you need to make, and then it’s about making the most of the opportunities when they come your way. When you have a regular run of games that also helps with your sharpness, so everything’s good right now. I’m really enjoying my football and being a part of this team.

Jeriah: You’re also one of the most experienced players in the side. Do you enjoy that responsibility?

Danny: We have a number of exciting young players, who can all achieve big things, so if I can help guide them along the way, then I’m only too happy to do so. They all know they can come to me for advice, for a chat, and it’s the same with the other experienced players we have in the squad. We have a really good dressing room and the door’s always open if anyone needs advice – be it on or off the pitch.

Jeriah: Pre-season is always an important time of the year, so how did you make the most of it to ensure you came into the season strong?

Tariq: I always like to be physically ready before I return, so I’ll do lots of runs, long distance and sprints, box-to-box sometimes. And, to be honest, I like to play a lot with my friends as well, so we’ll go down to the cages and play 5v5s. That brings out the skill element, so when you add that to the running, you’ve got a nice blend of being sharp with the ball and having that endurance to run, which puts you in the best position for when you come back to the club for pre-season testing. Then it’s a case of going out and practising the things I need to work on in a match situation.

Jeriah sat down with Danny and Tariq to discuss their careers. 📷 by Luke Nicoli.

Jeriah: Is it difficult to focus on what you’re doing when there could be 60,000 fans in the stadium?

Danny: Football is a mental game as well as physical, so although you can hear the crowd, you just have to block it out. You have to focus on what you need to do, and as I’ve done it so many times before, I find it easy to get into the zone and blank out all the noise. Saying that, there are certain stadiums that are so loud that you can’t hear your teammates. Tariq, for instance, might be 20 yards away and you can’t get your message to him. That’s the only time it can be a problem.

Tariq: I remember when we played Newcastle United away last season, it was crazy like that. I was shouting to Danny, but he just couldn’t hear me. When that happens, you just have to wait for a break in play – for instance when the ball’s gone out for a throw – before you can have a quick chat and get your message across.

Jeriah: Do you ever get nervous before kick-off?

Danny: I used to get nervous when I first started playing for Manchester United, but not anymore because of the repetition – I’ve been in the same situation many times over. When you’re in the tunnel, you’re ready, you’re prepared, and I would say it’s more of an adrenaline rush that I feel rather than nerves. I use it as a positive; I use that burst of energy to help me once the game kicks off.

Tariq: For me, it’s not so much nerves, more excitement for the game. You want to show your best and to go out and perform for the fans, for your family, for your teammates and get that win. It’s a good nervousness that I feel – it shows how much you really want it.

Jeriah was named Premier League Young Writer of the Year for his emotive story, Back in Time.

Tariq Lamptey and Danny Welbeck with a copy of Jeriah's winning story 'Back In Time'. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

“There are two main characters,” said Jeriah of the storyline. “The first one is a fictitious character called Rafael Cruz that is based on Vinicius Junior. Rafael misses a crucial goal, and his fans turn on him with racist chants. Hurt and feeling betrayed, he goes home. That night, he goes on an adventure back in time and gets inspired to be a hero for the next generation.

“The book is about educating fans – both children and parents – about the impact racism can have on players but also helps people to overcome these challenges. The hook line for my book summarises the message perfectly: Not all heroes wear capes, some play football, break barriers and inspire generations.”