The Potters go into the home clash with Wigan looking to finish what has been a hugely impressive 12 months on a high. Tony Pulis' side are currently eighth in the Premier League and through to the last 32 of the Europa League - a competition they qualified for via their FA Cup final appearance in May. The manager has stressed that reflections upon those efforts should be left for another time, something echoed by Etherington, who is keen to "keep pushing on" in 2012. "You probably don't take it all in - what has been achieved in 2011 - when you are still playing to be honest," Etherington told Stoke City Player. "Only a couple of weeks ago, we had a little bit of a blip in form and we were all down in the dumps. "But when you take a step back into reality and have a look at the football club today and then compare it to where it was a couple of years ago it's a phenomenal turnaround. "Not in our wildest dreams could we have envisaged being in the position we are in today, but that is all credit to everyone connected to the club because we have all played a part. "When I say that I mean the chairman, the manager, the players and, of course, the supporters." He added: "I'm loving life here at Stoke; things couldn't really be going any better for us. "It's important not to stand still and look at what we have achieved though because we want to keep pushing on. "The time to reflect on our achievements will come when we retire." Etherington says the feeling within the Stoke camp is that the club can reach even greater heights in the months to come. "We want to keep this fantastic run going, and people may say that bettering this year won't be possible, but you ask any of the lads in the dressing room and they will tell you different," he said. Ahead of the Wigan clash Pulis is monitoring the condition of striker Peter Crouch and midfielder Glenn Whelan, who have missed the last two games through illness and a calf injury respectively, while there will also be a fitness test for Robert Huth after the defender picked up a knock in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on Boxing Day. Forward Ricardo Fuller missed that fixture due to an ankle complaint but is expected to be available. Meanwhile, fellow forward Mamady Sidibe has revealed that he considered retiring from football after suffering his latest injury setback. Sidibe, who has spent lengthy periods on the sidelines in recent years due to damaged knee ligaments and Achilles problems, sustained a dislocated knee in October. The 32-year-old has not made a first-team appearance since August 2010 and thought about calling time on his career, but having undergone surgery on his knee Sidibe has now set his sights on being ready for the start of pre-season training in six months' time. "I will be honest with you, after my last injury, I sat down and said to myself: 'Mama, it's time to call it a day'," Sidibe told Potters Matchday Magazine. "I felt so low, I'd been knocked back so many times and so I thought it would be best to quit. That would have been selfish though. "I have got so many people to repay...the chairman, the manager, the medical people, my team-mates and, of course, the supporters. "Then, there's my son. He wants to see his dad playing. My family mean everything to me, so I will try to get back and do my best."
