Tyrique Bartlett
A striker with a famous father making his own way at Newcastle United
Tyrique Bartlett carries a famous surname in South African football, but the teenager is determined to create his own history at English Premier League side Newcastle United. Tyrique is the son of legendary former Bafana Bafana striker Shaun Bartlett, who turned out for Charlton Athletic and Kaizer Chiefs in his playing days, and a player of huge promise in his own right. Unsurprisingly, Shaun has been a big influence on Tyrique’s development, but so too has mum, Juanita, and he says it’s been with their combined support that he has been able to live his dream. “Up until the age of 13 I was just playing kiddies’ football; I wasn’t part of any academy or anything like that,” Tyrique tells KICK OFF from Newcastle, north of England. “But when my dad got the job at [Lamontville] Golden Arrows, I went to train with an academy in Amanzimtoti and that is where I began to get some proper skills from formal coaching. “Then I was able to join AmaTuks [University of Pretoria] and they had such great facilities, I think I came along even more.” It was while playing for AmaTuks at the Bayhill Tournament in Cape Town that he was spotted by player representative Lance Davids, who had already had a sight of the tall youngster before. “I had previously had a trial at Ajax Cape Town and Lance saw me then as well, so he knew who I was. He asked me questions about my ambitions, and my views on different things, and I think he liked what he heard. He agreed to take me on.”
Davids arranged for a trial at
Newcastle ahead of last season and Tyrique shone. “I remember I took the train up from London to Newcastle on the day of the trial and immediately played a game and scored two goals. I then spent the rest of the week training at the club. “They really liked what they saw, but as I was still in high school, so I returned to complete my studies. Then in December, after the school year finished, I went back and was signed.” He will spend this season with Newcastle’s Under-23 side that competes in what is essentially the reserve league in England, the Premier League 2. The Under-23 side is coached by Newcastle, Liverpool, Everton and England legend Peter Beardsley, a player of immense skill in his day. “I just try and get as much information from him as possible,” he says. “He has experienced everything in the game and is always very helpful to the young players.” Tyrique says he has not set himself any limits this season and will push hard for his ultimate goal, like father Shaun, to play in the Premier League under head coach Rafa Benitez. “I will just keep working really hard and see what happens. I will not limit my ambitions; if I can do well for the Under-23 team then maybe I can get a few games in the first team. I have to believe that. “I just love to play football and for me there is nothing better than doing something you love and getting paid for it too.” Tyrique says that there are differences in his own game to the way dad Shaun played, but there are also plenty of similarities. “I may be tall, but I can move quickly and make runs in behind the defence. I am able to hold up the ball to bring others in, or to take on defenders myself. I’m quite good at disguising how I’m going to play.” Shaun was obviously an influence on a young Tyrique. “Dad would often take me for oneon-one sessions, teaching me the basics of being a top striker. But he never put pressure on me as his son. “He said to me: ‘I don’t want you to follow in my footsteps, I want you to create your own path in the game’.”
“HE SAID TO ME: ‘I DON’T WANT YOU TO FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS, I WANT YOU TO CREATE YOUR OWN PATH IN THE GAME’.”