Leon Best’s 30th birthday may be later this month but Town’s new striker still believes his best days could be ahead of him.

The much-travelled Best, who could make his debut at Reading tonight, need look no further than Daryl Murphy, the man he is replacing, for inspiration.

Murphy, who recently moved to Newcastle in a £3 million deal, had the best season of his career when he was the Championship’s leading marksman with 27 goals in 2014/15 — and he turned 32 during that campaign.

Best said: “People keep saying 29 is still young but I’m always in the older team at training and that’s not a good thing. But a lot of people say you are in your prime round about now.

“I do definitely feel that I’ve got a wiser head on my shoulders and I know that it sometimes takes a long time to actually know what you are good at as a player.

“You always watch people on TV and you want to do different things and try different things but you mature into the game when you know what you’re good at — and you do it.

“My main strength is holding the ball up. I’d like to say scoring goals as well. That’s what I like to do and what I want to do for Ipswich.

“That’s what I keep thinking to myself and sometimes in games you can do good things, play well and help to create goals, but when your job is to score goals that’s what people look at. That’s the main thing as a striker.”

Best, confirmed as Murphy’s successor in the number nine shirt, knows he has big shoes to fill. But he added: “That’s what you look at as a striker. When Andy Carroll left Newcastle to go to Liverpool that’s what I heard people saying — big shoes to fill.

“I went on and scored a few goals so I think it’s best when you’ve got something to live up to, there is expectation and people get behind you.

“It’s all good energy, that’s the main thing. I’m a massive believer in that and the energy here is unbelievable. I’m looking forward to it and I can’t wait for the game at Reading.

“I’ve always said during the years I’ve been coming here that Ipswich are always organised and hard to beat. If you don’t concede you can only win if you score.

“Teams will look at Ipswich now and won’t want to come up against us. We’ve got some tough games coming up but I can’t wait for them.”

Being handed Murphy’s shirt made a big impression on Best, who said: “Just being given that shirt is a boost to my confidence. Ever since I was a young boy watching Ronaldo — the original one — I always wanted to be the same number as him and wear the same boots.

“The number nine was already in my head as something massive so to be given that is huge for me.”

Meanwhile, Best has not given up hope of earning a recall to the Republic of Ireland squad. Murphy managed it after a five-year gap, thanks to his displays for Town, and with Robbie Keane retired the door is open to an in-form striker to play his way into Martin O’Neill’s plans for the first time.

Best, who qualifies through his mother and has won seven senior caps, said: “I never quite understood the Ireland thing because I was in the squad and got my caps when I was playing at Coventry. Then, when I was actually playing and scoring for Newcastle in the Premier League, I wasn’t getting a call-up.

“I always thought there was more to it because you can’t turn down someone who is playing well and scoring goals. We’ll just have to see what happens.”

Photo: TWTD

Europablue added 09:45 - Sep 9 Best not acknowledge that terrible pun.
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runningout added 13:03 - Sep 9 always room for improvement, even when think you've peaked...
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rinkydinkpanther added 14:39 - Sep 9 Let's hope his best days are ahead of him. Like ones in which he deigns to get dressed for press conferences? He's certainly talking a lot of talk; now time to walk the walk.
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