He may be 41, which is considered 'slightly' old when you are a professional football player but that hasn't stop Daniel Bennett from continuing to perform at the highest level in Singapore's top-flight.
The England born defender has been a staple figure in Singapore's football scene for a very long time playing for some of the top clubs in the country while winning a host of honours. He also appeared for the Lions having been a naturalised citizen and has 141 caps for them while winning three AFF Championships with his adopted country.
Despite all the success he has garnered, Bennett believes he can still cope with the rigours of top-flight football and he showed it yesterday against Tampines Rovers' opponents in their AFC Cup campaign; Hanoi FC. It's amazing to think that he is the pillar of the Stags' defence and even nearly scored yesterday with a well-timed header that unfortunately, hit the woodwork.
In a backs to the wall performance against Hanoi, Bennett showed why he was still one of the most coveted defenders in the country as he expertly marshalled the backline as Tampines, defended for their lives. It was such heroics which enabled the team to earn a valuable point against their much better Vietnamese adversary. Judging on yesterday's performance, it's clear to see the former Wrexham player still has a lot more to contribute this season.
But then again, it should not come as a surprise as this is a player who goes the extra mile to keep himself fit due to his age. It's safe to say that Bennett is an exemplary professional that needs to be upheld for Singapore players who want to have a sustained career as a professional footballer.