Football Hearthrob: Neil Etherigde
Neil Etheridge, Fulham goalkeeper; source:google.com
Let’s just say I’m a basketball type of person and not a football person given by the fact that Filipinos are really into basketball other than any other sports. But things change and I am now 0ne of those screaming football fans. Thanks to the Philippine Azkals and to the handsome gentleman named Neil Etheridge, football now caught my interest. To my fancy
I have now some essential information about our humble goal keeper. Courtesy by the Wikipedia.com.
One of the most sought after football player, the goal keeper of the Philippine Azkals.
Profile
Neil Leonard Dula Etheridge was born on 7th day of February 1990.He is an English–Filipino professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Fulham. He also represents the Philippines at international level.
Early Life
Etheridge birth place was in Enfield Town, in the London Borough of Enfield to an English father and a Filipina mother who is originally from Tarlac. He took up the sport of football at the age of nine and attended Court Moor School in Fleet, Hampshire where he also represented Hampshire Schools and the Aldershot & Farnborough district teams.
He began attending the Chelsea academy in 2003, where he was also teammates with Philippine internationals James Younghusband and Phil Younghusband. He started out as a forward but eventually switched to a goalkeeper after being asked by his coach. In the year 2006, he moved to local rivals Fulham, and signed professional forms for the club.
In September 2008, Etheridge signed for Isthmian League Division One South club Leatherhead on loan for the entire 2008–09 season and made his debut on 20 September in the 2–1 home defeat to Metropolitan Police.
In September 2009, Etheridge underwent surgery on both knees. He was expected to be out for the entire 2009–10 season but returned in January 2010, eventually making nine appearances for the reserves. By the end of the season he signed a new one-year deal, keeping him at Fulham until the summer of 2011, thinking his quick recovery was the reason for his contract extension.
Etheridge received his first senior team call-up on 11 September 2010, when he was named on the substitute bench as cover for Mark Schwarzer in a home game against Wolves due to an injury to regular second choice goalkeeper David Stockdale.
International Career
suzuki-cup-2010-azkals; Source:google.com
Etheridge is a former England U-16 international, having featured in the Victory Shield in 2005,where England and Wales eventually shared the trophy. Despite representing England at youth level, he was still eligible to represent the Philippines through his mother.
| “It took me a long time to decide. Obviously every boy’s dream is to play for England at the highest level. But I thought, why not play for the Philippines? It’s mum’s side of the family as well.” |
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| —Etheridge, on his decision to represent the Philippines | ||
In 2007, Etheridge received an invitation to play for the Philippines but declined the offer as he wasn’t too keen on the idea and didn’t know the language or the players. He was again invited in early 2008, this time by the new Philippine Football Federation president Jose Mari Martinez. He eventually accepted the invitation after speaking to the new manager and learning about the set up, as well as being convinced by Phil Younghusband that he’ll enjoy the experience.
Etheridge made his full international debut in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers playing in all three matches. He kept three clean sheets but the Philippines still failed to qualify with an inferior goal difference to group winners, Tajikistan.
He was called up again later that year for the 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup qualification. In their opening match, Etheridge got his fourth successive clean sheet, as the Philippines defeated Timor-Leste 1–0. However, in their remaining three fixtures, Etheridge conceded five goals as the Philippines won another match, drew one and lost one. Similar to the Challenge Cup qualification, they would miss out on the Suzuki Cup. This time, they were level on points and goal difference but had an inferior goals scored record after finishing tied for second.
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