Born to compete

Postman Daniel Waller, from Bushey Delivery Office, has been selected for the official England deaf men’s football squad for next month’s European Deaf Football Championships.

The ninth European Football Championships for men will take place in Heraklion, Crete between Wednesday 29 May and Sunday 16 June.

Daniel (pictured, top row, second from right) has been profoundly deaf from birth, but football has always been a huge part of his life. He has been with his current club, Fulham Deaf FC, since he was 12-years-old.

‘Fulham Deaf FC are like a family to me,’ he said. ‘I have won many honours with the club, with the most recent being the English Deaf Cup this season. Fulham have won this competition five times now and this season, we were the first team ever to retain the trophy.’

In 2016, Daniel tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). ‘This is the worst injury to have as a player and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to come back from it,’ he said. But after I had surgery in 2017 plus a very long period of rehab, I started playing again in September 2018.

‘It took some time to get back to regularly playing and so to be called up to the England squad just seven months later to compete in the European Deaf Football Championships has made it all worthwhile it.

‘I’m very proud to represent my country and I hope we can bring the cup home in June!’

Bushey Delivery Office Manager, Paul Warner said: ‘Daniel joined Royal Mail last March as a part-time colleague, but he has now taken up a full-time position. As a delivery officer I have no issues or complaints about his work and commitment to his job and fellow workers. We wish him all the best of luck for June.’