SUNDERLAND’s Enzo Le Fee bared all about his father’s suicide ahead of the “most important game of my life”.
And the 25-year-old will not be bothered one bit by the spotlight at Wembley against Sheffield United after revealing his incredible journey from the prison gates to the cusp of the Premier League.
The French playmaker has become an instant hit on Wearside after reuniting with former Lorient boss Regis Le Bris at the Stadium of Light in January on loan.
Eyebrows were raised when the ambitious Championship promotion chasers snapped up the star just months after he had joined Roma for £25m.
But a move to the physicality of England’s second tier and starting a new life in the North East will hardly have fazed Le Fee.
The maverick faced agonising pain throughout his childhood as his father, Jeremy Lampriere, served stints behind bars for violence, drugs and possession of a gun.
However, nothing prepared Le Fee for finding his dad’s body in bed in 2021 having taken his own life.
During a heartbreaking interview with The Times, he revealed how he tried to deal with that shock by not telling anybody and try to just continue training.
Le Fee said: “It was Wednesday and I found my dad in his bed. The day after I have to go to the police because they have to ask me something and I said, ‘No, I can’t, I have to train’. The day after, again, I train, and the day after we play against Lens, away, and the coach didn’t know.
“He knew only one hour before the game when my grandfather called him and he says it’s crazy that I didn’t say something.
“In the dressing room nobody knew. I am like, my problem is my problem. I think it’s because of this, now I can speak. Now I am free.”
Le Fee, who was brought up by his mum and grandmother, opened up more about his relationship with his late father.
He said: “How much has it impacted me? Phew, a lot.
“When I was three he put me directly on the pitch. He was a great player.
“From when I was eight to 12 and after 14 to 20, I think, I would visit him in prison. Normally I train but every Wednesday I would go to the prison to see him. At 18 I started to see him alone.”
‘I WANT TO BE IN SUNDERLAND NEXT YEAR’
How Le Fee bounced back from that heartbreak and agony is testament to the star’s mental toughness.
And he does not hide the fact that he feels at home on Wearside playing back under mentor Le Bris.
That initial loan from Roma will turn into a £25m permanent one should the Black Cats beat Sheffield United and the ace admitted that the stakes do not come much bigger.
Le Fee added: “I want to be in Sunderland next year, for sure. I work since the last six months for that.
“Now it is one game, and it is the most important game of my life.”
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