Dane Murray reckons his own season mirrors that of Celtic as a club in terms of the rollercoaster ride it has been with some real highs but also so sore, low points along the way…
“There’s been some really good moments and not so good ones,” the Celtic defender observed. The low point would of course been that awful afternoon at Tynecastle in late October when Brendan Rodgers opted to start with Murray and also Colby Donovan, perhaps to make a point. Brendan was clearly at the end of his tether with the Celtic board and that turned out to be his last game in charge. By the Monday night he was gone.
Martin O’Neill was unsure – and unaware of Murray but had seen the mistakes in the Hearts game. He did note that people inside the club were telling him that Murray was going to be a player. So it was a slow burner approach that would take the coming and going of Wilfried Nancy and therefore a second return for the Irishman before it really started to click for Murray.
Suspensions for Auston Trusty certainly opened up opportunities for the 22 year old who grabbed his first Celtic goal earlier in the season in a Premier Sports Cup win over Falkirk at Celtic Park.
More recently in that run of four tough away games in Stuttgart, Ibrox, Aberdeen and back to the home of the Rangers, Murray acquitted himself brilliantly and effectively arrived as a first team Celtic player rather than a squad member who never really gets a look-in.
“It’s been a bit hectic the last few weeks but I’m really enjoying it.” Murray said. “You just need to be ready when you’re called upon. Even in training you need to be on it every day so that, if your chance comes, you’re ready.
“There’s a real togetherness through the squad. Even in the tough moments we’ve stuck together so now our full focus is on Saturday. For now, my own priority is to play as many games as I can before the end of the season and hopefully from that I can become a mainstay.”
“You just need to be ready for it. If your chance comes, you need to be ready,” the Celtic defender said.
“Recently we’ve had the momentum on our side, so it’s about riding that wave and taking it into every game. There’s a real togetherness through the squad, even in the not-so-good moments we stick together.
“When you’re not doing so well and you have tough moments, it really builds your character.
I’d much rather be playing and making mistakes than sitting at the physio table,” Murray said, referencing his two year long injury layoff.
With Auston Trusty back on the Scottish FA’s naughty step tomorrow, Dane Murray looks likely to start as the right sided central defender next to Liam Scales who will probably keep the armband in Callum McGregor’s absence.
WATCH Dane Murray’s media conference below ahead of Celtic v Motherwell at Celtic Park tomorrow afternoon…
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