City in Focus | A derby day to remember for Cameron Antwi
Returning from injury to impress consistently for the U21 side, we caught up with midfielder Cameron Antwi...
After injury in the final fixture of the U21 side's 2022/23 season kept him on the sidelines for 6 months, Bluebirds youngster Cameron Antwi was back amongst the goals for City in the South Wales derby earlier this month.
After a knee injury suffered against Barnsley in April kept Cam out of action for six months, the midfielder's return to playing has come alongside training with the First Team in recent weeks.
“I got hit in the head mid-air and dropped and collapsed on both of my knees. It was my left PCL and MCL, and then also my right MCL," Antwi recalled. "Obviously when I heard the news it came as a shock, I was doing so well in the season and I felt like I was really coming along and finishing the season strong. I was thinking about going out loan for next (this current) season.”
Cam reflected on a frustrating period off the pitch, but also expressed what he learnt while on the sidelines:
“I didn’t know what to do with myself," he continued. "It was a frustrating period but I learnt a lot about myself, I’ve had loads of setbacks in life but this one was the most challenging because I’d never been injured like that ever. I couldn’t walk properly, I had to be on crutches and in a brace. It was a learning curve, as bad as it was, I learned a lot about myself off the pitch.”
U21 | 🎞️ #90in90 - #CardiffCity 3-0 Swansea City
— Cardiff City Academy (@CF11Academy) December 6, 2023
⚽ Crole 10'
⚽ Antwi 35'
⚽ J. Colwill 89'
Watch the highlights on @CardiffCityTV ➡️ https://t.co/6iaZg1D9M7#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/RnipqO1hdH
Antwi’s emphatic free kick was a key talking point following the U21 side’s 3-0 victory over Swansea City in Leckwith earlier this month.
“As soon as Joel [Colwill] got fouled I asked for the ball because I backed myself to score from where it was," Cameron explained. "I lined it up and saw that the keeper was in the middle of the goal, so I thought 'let me just put it over the wall and see what happens', and it went in off the crossbar.
“To score that in the derby is a good feeling and to win 3-0, it was a good feeling.”
The young Bluebird has also been called up to train with the First Team multiple times this season, an experience he is relishing under Erol Bulut.
“Since I’ve been back I’ve been with the First Team, training with them here and there. I’ve been trying to get integrated with them. It’s a step up, when I go up to the First Team, I feel the intensity change. They take me in well, they’re all welcoming and the manager is good with me as well, so I do enjoy it a lot.
“The manager is a good guy and it’s a good group of players; Rallsy’s a good role model. To be honest all of them are: Romaine Sawyers and Ebou Adams, they all talk to me and it’s a tight-knit group. Everyone trains well, everyone trains to the best of their ability.”
Concluding, Cam discussed his ambitions for the rest of the season:
“For me it’s getting First Team minutes under my belt," said Antwi. "I’ve been in the U21 side now for a year, I feel like I’ve done well, so for me just pushing on and getting First Team minutes, whether that’s with Cardiff City or out on loan.
"In a nutshell, I’m just looking forward to continuing my Cardiff City career as I’m really enjoying it here.”
