#7 - Brighton and Hove Albion starlet remains focused as season is halted by global pandemic

Teenage prodigy Kara Fordjour reflects on her 2019/2020 season, her ambitions in the game and of course, life during COVID-19.

The career of any athlete always has to start somewhere, and Kara Fordjour is no different. After an initial greeting and a big swig of water, the Brighton Women’s U23’s forward began telling me how her passion for football was unearthed “my dad was and always has been my biggest influence since the beginning really. He was a decent player himself and he got me into the sport, driving me all over the country to various different games and always believing in me”. Although her father quit football at the age of 16 due to being overwhelmed by the pressure the sport placed on him, Fordjour accepts that the ruthless lifestyle of a professional footballer isn’t easy for anyone “of course I understand it’s difficult, but the belief my dad and my coaches have in me make me realise that I’ve got a great opportunity to succeed and achieve some childhood dreams”. Whilst she has aspirations she wants to meet, her levelheadedness sets a great example for any other young footballer trying to make their way in the professional game.  

The 2019/2020 season has been a disruptive one for everyone, especially Fordjour, who picked up an ankle injury in January after a reckless challenge from a Crystal Palace defender. Despite the injury setback and the outbreak of COVID-19, Fordjour explains that her season was productive given the circumstances “although my injury blocked my momentum at the turn of the year, I managed to recover and put in some good performances against top opposition like Chelsea and Arsenal, so overall I’m reasonably happy with how things have gone this season with all things considered”. After notching 6 goals and 7 assists in 15 starts this season, her impact in the U23’s has been monumental. Whilst those are healthy numbers, Fordjour stated she isn’t “content” and is hoping to contribute even more in the coming seasons, especially if that means adding to the tally with goals that gain a lot of attention like her strike against West Ham United back in December 2018. 

The former Millwall forward further elaborated that as well as her individual performances, her Brighton U23 side also showed what they were capable of after a handful of impressive displays throughout the season “the bond between all the girls has definitely grown stronger as we’ve adapted to each other’s playing style during the last couple of years”. The camaraderie was clear to see in their narrow defeat to Chelsea in February as the U23’s showed great chemistry to push a solid outfit to their limit. Fordjour says she enjoys her routine as an U23 player as playing against other girls who are usually a couple of years older really tests her mentally and physically which can only benefit her in the long run. When asked what is a key factor in building the team spirit within the group, Fordjour says “the training sessions are always great. It’s a very serious but also enjoyable atmosphere and I think that kind of intensity helps us when it comes to match days”. After observing a few games, I was intrigued to know the style of sessions Fordjour was being put through when preparing for an opponent “we usually focus on different patterns of play in each third of the pitch, aiming to keep possession in all of them as that’s the style we are known for. We like to think we bring a unique challenge to most of the sides we face and I think our style usually throws our opponent off their game a little”. The U23’s usually finish around mid-table, and produce plenty of players which go on to represent the Women’s first team so the brand of football which Brighton play and develop clearly has positive results.

As the COVID-19 issue continues to develop, many athletes will be finding it difficult to motivate themselves during this isolation period to remain as fit and as determined as they should. However, Fordjour informs us that although lockdown rules being applied across the country hinders the amount of football that can be played outside the household, she is maintaining her fitness levels as well as she can “my fitness hasn’t been effected as I’m going for runs every day which is keeping me relatively match fit”. The interruption in the season could be a shock to the system for many athletes, but Fordjour’s youthfulness and superb conditioning has allowed her to adapt and overcome the barrier of not playing regularly mid-season. Another problem which could be caused by the stoppage in football is the mentally of a player. How will they keep themselves busy when playing football is all they know? Fordjour explains that although her garden back home where she is self-isolating isn’t huge, she makes the most of her limited equipment and space “I have cones which I set up and a ball to help try and improve my footwork in tight spaces”. The effort Fordjour is putting in during the lockdown is proving to not only herself, but also her coaches that football is her number one priority, and that she will do as much work necessary in order to succeed. 

Much controversy has surrounded the issue on what to do with leagues and cups once the coronavirus issue has been sorted. There are limited options for the FA and other sporting bodies to take, but Fordjour insists “the league has to be finished once the pandemic is over”. Whilst this will most likely effect the timing of the 2020/2021 season, it ensures that each relegation, European place and title winning side was warranted due to the games being completed. Fordjour believes that having “worthy winners” of top lucrative leagues such as the Premier League is important as there then can’t be any debate about where each team is placed, especially with the amount of money on the line for each club.

Finally, I was intrigued to understand the aspirations of Fordjour and what she wanted to gain from her promising career “realistically I think my aim is to be pushing on and playing as much first-team football as possible. I also want to use this time to improve my fitness to an elite level so I feel like I can compete against other top level athletes”. Both aspects are very achievable within the next year for the youngster, who is planning on climbing the ladder at an appropriate pace with no corners cut. In the long term, Fordjour went on to say she would like to play football abroad to “understand a foreign culture and experience different training methods”. Both of these prospects could massively benefit Fordjour as they would only expand her knowledge on the beautiful game and open up broader opportunities for even after her career as a footballer has culminated. 

With a wise head on young shoulder, Kara Fordjour could be an English superstar in the making.