Jol: 'Etheridge could be Fullham's no.1 keeper in 2 years'

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals’ first choice keeper Neil Etheridge has agreed to a one-year extension to stay with English Premier League’s Fullham FC and is on track to earning a crack as a starter in the near future. 

The club announced the signing on Wednesday in their website.

The 23-year old Fil-English goal keeper, who joined Fullham in 2006 after training with Chelsea for three years, has an option to extend the contract after 2014.

“I’m delighted to have signed for another year the Club as it’s been a special place for me since I joined,” Etheridge told the club's website. “There’s a fantastic set up here for me to train and really hone my craft and, with Mark Schwarzer guiding me, I really couldn’t ask for a better mentor or opportunity."

Fullham boss Martin Jol is envisioning Etheridge to be the club’s number one keeper in 2015.

“I’ve got a very good goalkeeper in Neil Etheridge but he has played two games in his career,” Jol said in the club’s website last April 27 when asked about his goalkeeping situation for the next year. “It would be better for him to play games at another club and then, in two years’ time, he could be the number one. He is a tiger; he is a very good talent.”

Etheridge was loaned to fourth division club Bristol Rovers for three months last year causing him to miss the Azkals’ campaign in the AFF Suzuki Cup.