Three’s a crowd!
THE SELECTION DILEMMAS FACING WARNOCK AS CITY WRAP-UP THEIR PRE-SEASON PREPARATIONS
NEW signing Lee Camp won’t be available for Cardiff City until the end of August after undergoing an operation. The 32-year-old goalkeeper became the Bluebirds’ fourth signing of the summer when he joined Cardiff from Neil Warnock’s former club Rotherham on a two-year deal earlier this summer. Camp was the Millers’ first choice goalkeeper last season but suffered a knee injury in his side’s clash with Leeds in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign. He is yet to feature for his new club since making the move to the Welsh capital, with fellow new recruit Neil Etheridge, Brian Murphy and Oliver Byrne all featuring between the sticks in Cardiff’s preseason campaign so far.
And Warnock has revealed that Camp will miss the start of the season, although the club have not said whether or not it is due to the knee problem he suffered during his time at Rotherham.
“We’ve always known that Camp won’t be starting the season. It’ll probably be the end of August when he’s back after his operation, we knew that,” said the Cardiff manager.
“Some of the reports in the papers said said he hasn’t been available. It’s not a shock. He never has been available until the end of August.”
It remains to be seen who will be the club’s first choice stopper when Camp is fully fit, although it is thought the former Rotherham man will get the nod over 55-cap Philippines international Etheridge.
Speaking about Camp when he signed for the Bluebirds, Warnock said: “He’s what I call a ‘Steady Eddie.’ Lee has always done well for me.
“We’ve now got a really good trio of goalkeepers. Neil Etheridge – a big lad with plenty to prove, Brian Murphy – who did well for me last season, and Lee, who offers experience, reliability and good decision making. It is down to the goalkeepers now to see who can cement their place in the starting eleven, and keep that jersey.”