Perry Ng Closer to Singapore Dream as Cardiff City Defender

Perry Ng has spent years talking about it. Now, for the first time, it feels within reach.

The Cardiff City defender says he is finally closing in on his ambition of pulling on the Singapore shirt, a goal rooted not in convenience but in family and identity. Born in Liverpool but eligible for the Lions through his paternal grandfather, Ng has long made it clear where his international heart lies.

“I think we’re getting closer,” the 30-year-old said, sounding more relieved than triumphant.

The breakthrough came earlier this year. Ng secured Singapore permanent resident status in March 2025, a key step that allowed him to apply for citizenship under the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme. The process, though, has tested his patience. He has previously spoken about how confusing and frustrating the route to citizenship has been.

This time, there was a firmer timeline.

“I think in September I’ll have to go, maybe do a few more different things for the criteria for the passport,” he explained. “But hopefully it’s not too far away now.”

A month in the country he wants to represent

Ng used his off-season not to switch off, but to immerse himself in the country he hopes to one day represent.

“I spent a month in Singapore [this summer],” he said. “I got to do a lot of activities and spend time with my family and different community events. It was fantastic.”

It was more than a holiday. It was a glimpse of the life he wants: family close by, roots laid down, and eventually, a place in the national team set-up.

While the paperwork moves in the background, his club career has rarely looked stronger.

Promotion, recognition and a manager he doesn’t want to leave

Last season, Ng was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year as Cardiff City secured promotion back to the Championship. Reliable, consistent and technically assured, he became one of the pillars of a side that clawed its way back into the second tier.

He has done all this while living through a churn of managers in South Wales.

“I think I’ve lost count now. I think it was 11 or 12 [managers],” he said, half-amused, half-weary.

The revolving door has finally stopped on a figure he believes in: head coach Brian Barry-Murphy. And Ng is in no rush to walk away.

“I’ve been waiting for a manager like Brian to come in. So I feel like, why would I leave now?

“I want to continue working with Brian mostly. I think he’s one of the best managers in the league and I’m sure he’ll have a bright future.

“Just the way he sees football and the way he wants us to play, and how detailed he is on and off the pitch. I think that’s been missing at times from my time at Cardiff. He’s just a joy to work with every day.”

For a player who has seen so much upheaval, that kind of stability matters. So does trust. Ng is under contract at Cardiff until 2028, and inside the club, they talk about him not just as a dependable defender, but as a central figure in what comes next.

“A rhythm player” asked to lead

Barry-Murphy has already made clear how central Ng is to his plans.

“We’re now looking for him to really assume the leadership role that he’s done so well and improve himself because he’s a very important player for us,” the Cardiff boss said.

“Perry is a rhythm player. Once he gets his rhythm and starts playing a lot of games, he tends to improve very quickly. We want that from him.”

So Ng stands at a crossroads that doesn’t really feel like one. At club level, he has the security of a long contract, the respect of his manager and the platform of Championship football. Internationally, he is waiting on bureaucracy, ticking off requirements, hoping the final hurdle comes down in time for him to make a meaningful impact with Singapore.

He has the rhythm at Cardiff. Now he waits for the call that tells him he can finally carry it onto the international stage he has chosen.