Perfect role model

> Dedication and hard work pays off for Cardiff goalkeeper

Neil Etheridge became the first football player from the Philippines, and South East Asia, to play in the English Premier League when Cardiff City Football Club was promoted back to the elite competition for the 2018/19 season.

The 28-year-old goalkeeper, born in Enfield, about 16km north of central London, served notice between the sticks during Cardiff’s first game against Bournemouth where he became one of the stars of the night after stopping a penalty.

He did it again against Newcastle United, stopping a penalty to preserve a goalless draw. Since Tottenham Hotspurs’ Erik Thorstvedt, no goalkeeper has had such a decisive start in the Premiership.

Cardiff signed the shot stopper in July 2017 and since his arrival he has been impressive.

The 28-year-old featured in 45 Championship games last season, conceding only 37 goals and earning 19 clean sheets to lead the Welsh side back to the Premier.

To all budding sportsmen and women in Malaysia, Etheridge’s journey to where he is today is testament to what can be achieved with dedication and hard work.

The keeper called on Cardiff owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan at Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur during a brief stopover yesterday.

He was a promising player with Fulham but a disastrous debut in a Europa League clash against Odense BK in 2011 put a halt to his rise in the club’s goalkeeping ranks after which a couple of loan spells followed.

After he was released by Fulham, the 21-year-old fought to revive his career in sort of a journeyman fashion until thriving with League One club Walsall and then finding a career-renaissance with Tan’s Cardiff City.

“I spent five months without a team and in the end I was able to redirect my career, I paid to be able to train with Charlton Athletic,” Etheridge was quoted as saying recently.

“I worked as hard as I could, I sold my house, my car and I was so close to leaving everything and returning back to the Philippines, but then Oldham Athletic offered me a contract to be a substitute goalie and I accepted.

“This whole experience made me stronger, it’s now in the past but it’s never going to leave me,” the keeper admitted.

Although Cardiff have not got off to the best possible start, Neil Warnock’s side can rest assured that they have a fighter as their last line of defence.