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Murphy: Tough to Leave Town But Newcastle Move One I Couldn't Turn Down
Monday, 22nd May 2017 15:51

Former Town striker Daryl Murphy says it was “tough to leave” Portman Road last August but says the move to Newcastle United was one he just couldn’t turn down. The 34-year-old went on to help the Magpies to the Championship title and promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Murphy, who left the Blues for a fee of £3 million a few days prior to the closure of the summer transfer window, says in some ways it was an easy decision but in others less so.

“I think I recently said that it was no-brainer of a decision to go, it was but it wasn’t a case that it was easy to leave Ipswich,” Murphy said in an interview with WLRFM, the local radio station in his home town Waterford, which you can hear in full here (from 14mins 09secs).

“I had some great, fond memories there. The manager Mick McCarthy brought me over from England when I first came over with Sunderland, he signed me again at Ipswich and he really looked after me.

“I had a good bond with the fans and everything there, so in that sense it was tough to leave. But if Newcastle come in for you at my age and at that stage of my career there was only one choice I could make.”

Murphy's departure has been cited as a pivotal moment in Town's disappointing season with boss having McCarthy admitted it was a blow.

“I think he was [upset] because most of our play went through me, that’s not sounding big-headed or anything, that was just the way we played and we got great joy from it over the years," the Republic of Ireland international added.

“I think he was more upset at the timing of it. It didn’t really leave any time to get a replacement in. I think that was probably frustrating for him and the club.

“As I said, he’s been brilliant through my career, I can’t speak highly enough of him, but I just think it was time to move on and challenge myself again because I probably would never have got that chance again. Tough to leave, but I couldn’t turn it down.”

Regarding not celebrating his goal in the Blues’ 3-1 victory over Newcastle last month, he added: “It just didn’t feel right, I enjoyed my time there, I had a good bond with the fans and I just don’t think it would have been right to celebrate after scoring.

“I knew going into the game that if I did score that I wasn’t going to celebrate. Unfortunately we lost.”

McCarthy first signed Murphy when he was Sunderland boss but the striker says his Wearside history never caused him a problem at Newcastle for whom he scored six goals in nine starts and nine sub appearances.

“I didn’t know what kind of reception I’d get really when I first signed,” he admitted. “But it couldn’t have gone any better for me. From the first day I went to the training ground with the fans outside and all that, I don’t think they ever mentioned Sunderland to me.

“They just knew I was proven in the Championship, they wanted to get out of the Championship and they knew I was going there to try to do a job for them and I think they appreciated that.”

Murphy was delighted that his first season at St James’ Park ended with a Championship winners’ medal, despite the campaign proving tougher for Rafa Benitez’s men than many had predicted.

“I think everyone looked at us at the start of the season and thought with the squad and the players that we had that we should have walked it,” he reflected. “But as everyone knows that’s never the case.

“It’s a tough league, I don’t think people realise how hard it is, it’s constantly games, week in, week out, two games a week most times, and it’s just a very demanding and physical league to try and get out of.”


Photos: Action Images/TWTD



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Bluebell added 16:06 - May 22
Nobody can blame Murph for going to a club who were obviously going to play better football and possibly win the league. I think it was reported he is on £30,000 a week so it would have been stupid to turn that down.

Such a shame that Newcastle are saying he can leave before he gets to play in the Prem with them.

I wish him good luck in whatever he does next. A great player who we really missed last season.
23

RIPbobby added 16:23 - May 22
Sounds like he is after a contract / coaching role, or am I too cynical? lol
5

iaintaylorx added 16:33 - May 22
Great pro and no one can blame him for wanting to play for a Champions League winning manager! Hope the rumours aren't true about Newcastle letting him go. He won a few games for them and scored some big goals for them winning the title when you put it in reflection.
10

12th_Man added 16:36 - May 22
I'm sure counting his money made him feel better you gone Murph I don't care about you
-27

NBVJohn added 16:45 - May 22
Something that strikes me as interesting is that regardless of the sale of Murphy to Newcastle, there was already a single point of failure here.
Murphy says that MM was upset 'because most of the play went through him' and I don't think anyone would argue with that, and that up to a point it had been successful.

So with this statement in mind, it seems to me that a massive reliance was placed on a 34 year old player, and that had he got injured or suffered a loss in form, we had absolutely no contingency plan to either alter tactics or play a direct replacement, which is proved by the ensuing terrible season.
Surely, if you have a rigid way of playing, as a minimum you ensure back up of the POSITION to give continuity.

With this role so pivotal, MM should have had a replacement on the books already.

On the basis of this admission from Murphy it seems that the there were 3 likely outcomes to our season:

1. Sell Murphy, receive £3m with no time to sign a replacement, hope for the best and then sign a non league player in January. Have a bad season
2. The pivotal 34 year old player gets a season ending injury. No £3m. Have a bad season with no funds to even sign the non league player in January.
3. The pivotal 34 year old player luckily stays injury free for the season and suffers no suspension or loss in form. No requirement to think beyond the short term and strengthen the squad. Have a mediocre season in that you have a good player to execute a very predictable playing style.

Clearly Murphy has a high opinion of MM, and I don't see a reason to dismiss this, but other than that, I think this article shows the club up for what it really is - a directionless, short term focussed mess with no plan other than to cut costs whilst increasing ticket prices.

21

gosblue added 17:09 - May 22
If Murphy came back, he couldn't give us 46 games but I think him and Darren Bent could between them. With Didz and Sears sharing the other striker role it would at least on paper look like a serious strike threat. Wages would stop this happening but it's nice to dream.
5

Sam added 17:17 - May 22
Don't blame him. A club that gave him lots of money and Newcastle are just briliant.
1

Ferguson added 17:17 - May 22
Darren Bent I'd take back any day, Murphy - not realistic. Target man essential.
3

jpring89 added 17:18 - May 22
12th man thats a bit of a tw@tish thing to say. You would do the same job for more money in any other profession. Football is no different now. Fans have to understand that, rather than cry about a player leaving for more money and a team which has more ambition.
7

christiand added 17:35 - May 22
Murphy deserved that move, his strength and hold up play is one of the best in this division so don't blame him at all. Think Bart is in the exact same position, his performances deserve the right to play at a higher level. We can't meet his international ambitions languishing in the bottom half of The Championship, although he does get plenty of work to do!!!
9

jas0999 added 17:56 - May 22
I wish Murphy all the best. It was a no brainer decision and in fairness a deal the club were right to accept.

What happened afterwards though pretty much sums up Ipswich under Evans in recent years. £3 M raked in - no replacement signed. Even in January, we bring in a £10 K signing of a player not deemed good enough for Forest Green. As Murphy says, our style of play was through him I.e. Hoof the ball forward. Not replacing a key players is rank stupidity, wreckless and irresponsible. Particularly considering the cost of a match day ticket!
17

therein61 added 18:09 - May 22
Hope you get a well deserved shot at the premiership next year Murph, many thanks for your wholehearted performances in a Town shirt.
12

stiffy501 added 18:17 - May 22
On his way back then (loan), more hoofball, nothing changes really doe's it !!!
3

masetheace added 18:30 - May 22
It wasn't too physically demanding for him as he rarely got a start !!!
2

Lathers added 18:41 - May 22
I'd like to see Murphy and Bent brought back to PR. With Sears and DM I think that would work on our shoestring budget. Then spend money on sorting out our midfield.
5

Tufty added 19:09 - May 22
Murphy and Bent both a backward step for me
Look for a player hungry for success not a final pay packet
8

ArnieM added 20:06 - May 22
Murphy has a career long average of 10goals per season. Then he had his purple season. Yes he's a workaholic and offers physical presence up front. But he is NOT the future for ITFC. And void he not also put in a transfer request when he got wind of Newcastle interest? .....and Town actually receive any money for him??
2

wayway added 20:42 - May 22
Pity Boring Billy wasn't upset enough to sling his hook
2

blueboy1981 added 22:09 - May 22
........ anyone who has ideas that Murph' should have turned that move down, is living in cloud cuckoo land.

Did a great job for us, and don't forget he was yet another player, NOT regularly played in his best, and rightful position by the Dinosaurus Rex.

Agree he is not the future of ITFC, but I could add a few more names, currently on the payroll, who equally fit that bill - without mentioning players !
6

cobboldblue added 22:31 - May 22
OMG where do we go with this? Firstly MM played him in his right position so end of. I think he was signed on loan by the "Dark Lord" at least twice and then had that great season for us. During that time I am fairly sure he said he was happy at ITFC and his family was settled.in his words, so I really do not think he would have moved unless we wanted or (please take this into account because of FFP) needed to sell him. Either way I really do believe he would have been happy to stay with ITFC if we could have matched what Newcastle were offering.
2

Surco72 added 22:45 - May 22
Murphy would be a massive step backwards if he is after a contract , he in reality has had one good season of goalscoring in his career and would show the route MM wants to go down again next season . Laughable comment that MM didn't have time to replace Murphy , he was sold in August and by July a year later will still won't have replaced him how long do we need 😂 😂 😂
1

runningout added 23:08 - May 22
Rarely works out well resigning so called pro footballers.. We need at least 5 new outfield players, sooner rather than later
1

Michael11 added 10:07 - May 23
I loved both Murph and Bent when they were here, but signing either would be a backwards move now. We need young fresh players. I'd like someone like Ollie Watkins at Exeter. Big, strong, striker who would fit the bill for what we're looking at. Would probably cost around £2m.
0

peteswindon added 10:55 - May 23
I would love to know what his wages where at Ipswich and how much he is on at Newcastle. Bet if we ever found out we would understand why he left.
3

woohoo added 12:26 - May 23
Completely understandable move by Murphy when he left for Newcastle.
Only a real dim-wit would fail to understand his reasons for moving.
If he does leave Newcastle, I can see one of the newly-promoted PL teams picking him up as a squad player.
4


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