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For Filipino goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, finding playing time was vital after losing his place at Cardiff City FC last season. After sealing his move to Birmingham City FC on Friday, the Filipino stopper not only found a place to put his gloves back on, but uncovered an ambitious project aimed at bringing St. Andrew’s back to glory.
“It was about me trying to find games and play at a club that I’m comfortable with,” Etheridge told ESPN5.com. “Birmingham for me, after talking to the club, working together on this project is really exciting for me.”
The man heading the project at St. Andrew’s is former Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao defender Aitor Karanka. The Spanish manager himself is a newcomer to the club and has experience winning promotion to the Premier League.
Before Karanka’s arrival, Birmingham City had a slump to close out last season and finished with just three points from its last 14 games. The Blues finished their season just two places above the relegation zone.
As part of the radical changes at St. Andrew’s, Karanka has brought in new faces to strengthen the team.
Etheridge, who was introduced by the club a day before their opening game of the 2020-21 EFL Championship season, is the seventh signing by a Birmingham City team eager to turn their fortunes around.
From Etheridge’s point of view, Karanka is “building something special” and has the pedigree to succeed.
“It’s a project that the manager wants to bring in the right people for the job,” Etheridge said. “The manager has been promoted before so he knows what it’s about.”
Etheridge clarified that he does not expect instant success, but his four-year contract suggests that he is committed to what Birmingham is trying to achieve.
“A project doesn’t happen overnight,” Etheridge said. “It’s something I’m obviously going to be committed to and with the duration of my contract I’ll have some security for everyone.”
In the short term, Etheridge hopes to be part of a group that will restore optimism to everyone involved in the club. The Philippine international felt the energy in his first training session with his new squad, and believes they are a team that can do just that.
“We need to bring positivity to the club and the team and have some team spirit, you know? After obviously a tough back end last season for them in the relegation zone,” Etheridge said. “But for me, I see a lot of potential.”
So what does Neil bring to the city of Birmingham?
At Etheridge, Birmingham has a goalkeeper with Premier League experience and knows what it takes to earn promotion. The Philippine Azkals goalkeeper is also just one year away from winning Cardiff City’s Player of the Year honors in his season in the top flight.
The past six months may have seen the newly hired janitor on the bench frequently, but the work he has accumulated over the past three years shows he is a proven winner.
Despite recent success, Etheridge is refusing to rest on his laurels and wants to use this new chapter to build on his past achievements with Birmingham City.
“For me, it’s a new beginning, which is great,” Etheridge said. “I have been very lucky in the last three years of my career, regardless of what has happened in the last six months. It has been a very successful time for me.”
“Of course I want to replicate that and do the same and be on this trip with Birmingham.”
