WalesOnline: Jordan Santiago has Six Months to Impress at Cardiff
Jordan has six months to impress
Apr 17 2010 by Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo
CANADIAN goalkeeper Jordan Santiago has been given six months at full professional level to show he can play at Championship level or higher.
Teenager Santiago, 19, joined fellow Bluebirds’ trainee Jonathan Meades in being asked to return for 2010-11. Calgary-born Santiago was making good progress until he suffered an illness last year.
“Goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson has been really happy with Jordan, who was working hard and really, really improving before he was struck down with glandular fever before Christmas,” said Cardiff City youth academy manager Neal Ardley.
“That can take months to get over, but Jordan’s strength has slowly returned.
“We had to effectively write this season off. Martyn fought Jordan’s corner and the gaffer (Dave Jones) agreed to give him six months as a full professional.”
Cardiff City’s Championship rivals Reading brought Santiago from Canada to the UK.
“They offered me a trial after watching me play for Calgary in the Arsenal International Youth Cup.
“It didn’t work out for me at Reading, but Neal Ardley offered me a trial and I came to Cardiff City.
“I played ice hockey and soccer in Canada until I was 14, but then it was time to decide and I went for football. In Canada everybody seems to love playing football as a kid.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footbal...1466-26259504/
Interesting and I hope that he has a fast recovery...Originally Posted by nolando
He's right...everybody loves football as a kid.
I wish I hadn't have loved hockey more, because I only ever had one year at football, before my parents laid down the choices...one or the other, not both.
Santiago is back after his Spanish adventure
Sep 1 2010 by Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo
JORDAN Santiago, Cardiff’s Canadian goalkeeper, is back from international duty in Spain.
Calgary-born Santiago played in all four matches for Canada during an under-20 tournament – and kept two clean sheets.
“We drew three games and lost one, which was pretty good when you consider the quality of the opposition,” said Santiago, now back training with Cardiff City coach Martyn Margetson and Tom Heaton.
Cardiff’s current first choice ’keeper David Marshall is with the Scotland squad for their European Championship qualifiers against away on Friday and Liechtenstein at Hampden Park next Tuesday.
Santiago’s Canada faced Santos from Brazil, losing 2-1, and Spanish club Valencia (0-0) plus national under-20 teams Guinea (1-1) and Senegal (0-0).
That earned a third place finish for the Canadians as they stepped up preparations for the 2011 Concacaf men’s under-20 Championship. That championship serves as the qualification route for the Fifa under-20 World Cup in Colombia during July and August next year.
Santiago, aged 19 and was the only UK-based player in the Canadian squad, is a first year senior professional with City, having stepped up from the youth Academy trainee ranks on a six-month deal.
“It’s been great training with David Marshall and Tom Heaton,” says Santiago.
“They are the best goalkeepers I have been able to work with and they are such a big help to my progress.
“My football idol as I grew up in Canada was always Peter Schmeichel from watching matches on television.That was one of the reasons I became a goalkeeper.”
Cardiff’s Championship rivals Reading brought Santiago from Canada to the UK.
“They offered me a trial after watching me play for Calgary in the Arsenal International Youth Cup,” said Santiago.
“It didn’t work out for me at Reading, but Neal Ardley offered me a trial and I came to Cardiff City. I played ice hockey and soccer in Canada until I was 14, but then it was time to decide and I went for football.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footbal...1466-27175526/
Last edited by nolando; 09-06-2010 at 09:08 PM.
Decision to be made on wether to extend Santiago's contract at Cardiff in the new year:
"A decision must also be made on teenage Canadian goalkeeper Jordan Santiago, whose six-month deal ends in the new year.
Santiago is Cardiff’s back-up keeper with Tom Heaton out injured, having suffered ligament damage, and the ’keeper from Calgary has made outstanding progress over the last year."
Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footbal...#ixzz18I5dZNZI
That's good to hear. We really need a couple of our youth keepers to take it to the next level.
The latest out of Cardiff has Santiago still looking firmly in their plans, "Goalkeeper Santiago will be the under-21 goalkeeper with former Brentwood, Essex schoolboy Reece Ottley battling with Liam Matthews from Swansea for the starting place at under-18 level."
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