Back together again
Somerville looks forward to team up with former mate eldstal
PETALING JAYA: From England to Malaysia, footballers Samuel Somerville and Junior Eldstal seem to be inseparable.
After six years, the duo will get to play together again in the same team after the Englishmen were named in the 25-man Harimau Malaya squad for the second round of the 2022 World Cup-2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next month.
They used to play together at Farnborough FC in England and Somerville is just happy to follow in the footsteps of Junior.
While Eldstal played with Harimau Malaya six years ago, Somerville had just joined Johor Darul Ta’zim II (JDT II) from English club Tooting and Mitchum United in 2015.
Somerville is now looking forward to the reunion.
“Obviously it’s crazy how things have worked out since we played together before. I’m very pleased to join the squad,” said Somerville, who is Penang’s first-choice goalkeeper.
“Junior and I have a lot of good memories from our time playing together at Farnborough FC. Looking forward to making some more fond moments with him in this team.”
Somerville said it was a proud moment to don the national colours as he had dreamed about it for many years.
“It was special to see my name on the list. Immediately, I received a flood of congratulatory messages, including from my goalkeeper coach in Penang (Hisyam Jainuddin). I thanked him for his guidance the last two years. He is one of the reasons that I’m able to achieve this goal.
“I’m grateful to national coach Tan Cheng Hoe, goalkeeper coach Azmin (Azram Abdul Aziz) and all the FAM management for giving me this opportunity.”
Somerville played the first six games of the season but missed the next seven due to a hairline toe fracture, but he is now back to full fitness and cannot wait to start his stint with Harimau Malaya.
He has to fight with other goalkeepers like Farizal Marlias and Khairulazhan Khalid for his spot.
“I just want to go in there and be a sponge, absorb everything.
“We already have great goalkeepers but it’s good to have a healthy competition, we can push each other.”
In their Group G qualifiers in Dubai, Malaysia will face UAE at Zabeel Stadium on June 3, Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium on June 11 and Thailand at the same venue on June 15.