'I took the advice of Hugo Lloris and Joe Hart': Ex-Spurs starlet on why he had to leave Portsmouth

It has been several years since Hugo Lloris and Joe Hart imparted their wisdom, yet those profound words continue to drive the career of their goalkeeping protege.

Josh Oluwayemi's desire for regular first-team football saw him reject a Spurs contract and move to Fratton Park. Now, 18 months later, Finnish club FC Lahti is his new home.

The 22-year-old is in a hurry and, refreshingly, is prepared to broaden his horizons to secure cherished opportunities to develop.

There was a time during his maiden Pompey season when some of the Fratton faithful foresaw a bright future for the promising Oluwayemi on the south coast.

Achieving his Football League debut and totalling nine outings, last year represented a breakthrough campaign for the ex-triallist, who had earned himself a July 2022 deal under Danny Cowley.

But following last summer’s recruitment of Will Norris and Ryan Schofield, along with Toby Steward’s encouraging progress, he fell away from the first-team scene.

Yet spurred on by treasured advice from senior goalkeepers Lloris and Hart during their times at Spurs together - Oluwayemi had no intention of hanging around.

‘I loved my time at Pompey but, at the end of the day, I need to play, especially in my young years as a keeper. I need that experience,' he told The News.

‘It’s hard, this was my first full men’s spell, I was coming in for certain games so you have to be ready. That’s when I realised, at this point I need to play loads of games. This is the golden age to do that.

‘At Spurs I had Joe Hart and Hugo Lloris giving me really good advice, telling me the importance of playing at a young age. Drilling it into me.

‘I was nodding at the time because I know the prestige they have, but until you actually feel it and see it for yourself, you don’t know how your reactions are naturally going to be.

‘When you look back at those words, the penny drops and you start to realise “Oh, this is what he was talking about”.

‘When I left Tottenham it was mutual, they offered me a 12-month contract, but you can only learn so much playing under-23 football. I said “No”. I had been there since the age of 10, but had to leave.

‘It was tough coming to that decision, but your mindset in the under-23s is very different, it’s a bit more entitled, a bit more egotistical. You haven't even done anything in football, yet you think it’s going to be a stroll in the park.

‘For me it was all about playing and I had the chance at a big club like Pompey. I’m a 2001 baby, so, growing up, my first introduction to football involved Pompey in the Premier League.

‘You always remember that, nothing can change it, the likes of Jermain Defoe, Kanu, David James, Sol Campbell, they were players I watched.

‘In an ideal world, I would have liked to continue at Pompey. However, you can hang about certain places, get nice pay, but there’s a cap on what you can do.

‘You need a period where you can show what you’re about to get what you actually deserve in the game. This is mine.’

Oluwayemi rose to prominence at Fratton Park with a string of eye-catching displays during their 2022-23 Papa John’s Trophy campaign.

Then, with Josh Griffiths recalled by West Brom halfway through his scheduled season-long, the youngster was handed a Football League debut at Bolton in January 2023 under caretaker boss Simon Bassey.

He would total four League One outings by the season’s end, including an unfortunate display in the final match of the campaign against Wycombe, with concussion forcing him off in the second half.

Come the summer, with Norris and Schofield bolstering the goalkeeping department, Oluwayemi was sent on a six-month loan to National League South Chelmsford City in July.

Racking up 24 appearances during a successful time with the Clarets, it was an opportunity he revelled in, irrespective of the level.

Oluwayemi added: ‘I found at Chelmsford that, for a goalkeeper, It’s a tough league in terms of physicality. For an outfield player, it still might be tough because of those elements, but it was brilliant for me.

‘For any young keeper going out on loan, it really reminds you of what you’re all about. When you aren’t playing for a while, you forget and get a bit rusty. Going out on loan boosted my confidence.

‘Those games helped my development. For a keeper, they are key, especially when you’re young, you need to experience these things. Going to National League South has moulded me, given me a bit more resilience.

‘When you are playing in front of big crowds, you can’t hear the comments, but in the National League you hear every word. I ended up loving that, the banter back and forth with all the away fans.

‘Nothing is ever personal, that’s what I realised from this loan, because as soon as the whistle blows, you shake hands and are friends.

‘Then, at the end of November during a training session, I jammed my left thumb into the floor. Now I’m used to feeling pain in my fingers and thumbs, it’s fine, I thought I’d just pop it back in and move it around.

‘Yet I had a little feeling it wasn’t right. It turned out it was actually broken, split straight down the middle. My loan spell was over.’

With his contract up in the summer of 2024, a now-injured Oluwayemi faced an uncertain final six months at Fratton Park.

However, interest from FC Lahti provided him with the fresh challenge he had targeted. Best of all, they lured him with the promise of being their number one.

Reaching agreement to cancel his contract by mutual consent, it allowed Oluwayemi to make the switch, while the Blues allowed him to remain for another fortnight to continue receiving treatment for his broken thumb.

Oluwayemi said: ‘To be fair, Finland was a big surprise to me. After Chelmsford, I asked my agent to look abroad in Scandinavia or somewhere. 

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‘Then I never really thought about it, I just focused on getting fit. Then he told me there was interest from a Premier League team in Finland, along with a couple of others. I couldn’t believe it!

‘I spoke to FC Lahti’s head coach, managing director and goalie coach and they really sold it, demonstrating the confidence they have in me.

‘I thought it was a loan, but they were saying “No, we want you permanently”. Their league (the Veikkausliiga) is from April until November, it overlaps with the English season, and they needed me now.

‘I spoke to Jayden Reid, who recently joined IFK Mariehamn over there, and he told me it’s cold, but the level is really good. Not quite League One, but close to it. For me, that’s what I wanted.

‘I need to play at a good-enough level and challenge myself, especially as I’m at a young age without any real responsibilities.’

Within a day of Oluwayemi’s Pompey departure, they brought in Matt Macey to bolster their goalkeeping ranks as football moves on at pace.

Now the ex-Spurs youngster is in Finland and could potentially make his debut in their League Cup trip to Gnistan on February 17.

Oluwayemi said: ‘Since leaving Spurs, I have seen people I know still in their under-23s sitting around and starting to get frustrated. You can get lucky and wait for the first-team, but, as a keeper, I had a World Cup winner (Lloris) there, while I hadn’t even had any games.

‘Maybe I could have stayed there, but you can’t think like that. For me, I have to challenge myself, push myself, and, looking back at my journey, I’ve learnt so much more about the game since leaving Spurs.

‘Don’t get it twisted, Tottenham was a top university for football, but I learnt so much coming to Pompey.

‘I back my abilities, you have to believe in yourself - and that’s exactly what Hugo and Joe were telling me.’