Comments on: Nii Lamptey: The Lost Pele

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:27:47 +0000

That’s an amazing story. It’s remarkable some of the adversity and struggle many players have to face to get where there are now. Not just professionally but personally too. Thanks for the background story.

By: NICHOLAS NKEM OKEKE

NICHOLAS NKEM OKEKE — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 12:29:56 +0000

I wish to renew my contact with my friend in Belgium Odartey Lamptey

By: Tom Dunmore

Tom Dunmore — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:52:30 +0000

Jennifer, the picture’s from here — if your German is better than mine, maybe you can help with its origin….

By: Daily Dose 2.6.08 - World Cup Blog - African Cup of Nations 2008

Daily Dose 2.6.08 - World Cup Blog - African Cup of Nations 2008 — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:27:04 +0000

[…] Whatever happened to Nii Lamptey? Now we know (Pitch Invsion) […]

By: Jennifer Doyle

Jennifer Doyle — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:24:16 +0000

Tom,

Sorry to ask such a geeky question about such a moving story, but Where is that first image from? Is that a painting?

Thanks for the story - and for the links for those of us who want to know more about him.

By: Emerson Marks

Emerson Marks — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:05:06 +0000

Only 33! I too used to nick him off Anderlecht, favouring him over fellow countryman Abidi Pele. Didn’t he have a spell at Hibs too?

By: Tom Dunmore

Tom Dunmore — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:18:53 +0000

Thanks Brian, glad you liked it. You’re right, of course, and a couple of seasons playing for Villa and Coventry now — where apparently, thanks to Big Ron, he wasn’t shaken down so grossly — would have been enough for him to start twenty schools in Ghana.

One can only hope, as ursus says, that he lives a long life and finds his peace. Not being the next Pele is really the least of his troubles from the past.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:14:27 +0000

Superb post, Tom. Lamptey predates my awareness of European soccer, and for all that I’ve tried to take in as much of the game’s history as I can, I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard of him. Thanks for setting that right. What a sad story.

The worst part is that had he been born 10-15 years later, there would have been so much hype surrounding him at an early age that, financially at least, he would almost certainly have ended up in a better situation.

By: ursus arctos

ursus arctos — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:38:42 +0000

I saw Lamptey play for Anderlecht, and have always felt that he was the greatest unrealised talent I’ve seen. My only hope is that he at last gets some peace and good fortune, and is able to gain some enjoyment from what can still be a very long life.

His is a very sad story.