The phrase "a foothold as" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing establishing a position or gaining a base in a particular context or situation.
Example: "The company aims to secure a foothold as a leader in the renewable energy sector."
Alternatives: "a position as" or "a base as".
Legal downloading never managed to get a foothold as, by the time iTunes launched illegal downloading, using sites such as Sweden's own The Pirate Bay, was widespread.
"We must secure the areas to make sure the Shabab does not gain a foothold as we move forward".
Federer seemed to be on his way to a routine victory, but Djokovic gained a foothold as the match wore on.
In due course, he gained a foothold as a television script editor, then became a news-show host in Ottawa and a drama producer.
(Chinen) Matt Brewer (Friday) Mr. Brewer has established a foothold as one of the stalwart young bassists on the progressive post-bop scene, in bands led by the alto saxophonists Greg Osby and Steve Lehman, among others.
Starting with the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, however, European pay-TV providers gained a foothold, as the time difference between Europe and Asia made some of the games less attractive to mainstream broadcasters.
This pianist is a representative of the new Latin jazz here and has gained a wider foothold as well; he's a steady member of Ravi Coltrane's group.
Sousa had a foothold and as Murray huffed and puffed, his opponent broke again to seal the set and level up.
. to turn out so many gold bars stamped 'Mark Twain.' " Even so, Twain gained an easy foothold as a humorist, and in time the income from his books, newspaper pieces, and public appearances was more than enough to sustain him.
Sadly for Real, they could not maintain such a high tempo and, by half-time, Dortmund had established a foothold in the game as well as maintaining their commanding aggregate advantage.
Zika may have gained a foothold in Brazil as early as December 2014, when patients in the northeastern state of Pernambuco began reporting a mild skin rash.
