Town boss Roy Keane says new goalkeeper Brian Murphy can use his move to Town as a springboard into the Irish national side. Former Bohemians keeper Murphy, who officially joins the Blues in January, recently received his first call into the Ireland squad but is yet to win a full cap.
Keane says the 26-year-old impressed him when he was at Portman Road for talks in August: "In terms of players I’ve brought to the club and the players I brought in at Sunderland, he was certainly up there in terms of first impressions.
"He spoke really well, he’s got a good attitude, he’s hungry and squeezed into the Irish senior squad. I’m looking forward to him coming to the club.
"Obviously he can’t play until January, but he’s going to come over a week or two into December to have his own mini-pre-season with us, but he’s played a lot of games in Ireland this year, just like Colin Healy when he came to us.
"He’s coming to challenge for the first team 100%. We need competition for positions and he’s got a chance of being a top keeper. He’ll be vying for a first team place, I wouldn’t have brought him in otherwise.
"He’s been to England before and he’s had a taste of it. He’s been back to Ireland and what he’s got is what every player should have - hunger.”
Keane says Murphy will be out to challenge Shay Given for the Ireland jersey within the next couple of years: "That would be the plan. Maybe even sooner than that.”
Meanwhile, TWTD understands that Town are one of a number of clubs to have shown interest in out-of-favour Tottenham left-back Gareth Bale. Nottingham Forest have previously been linked with a move for the former Southampton man, but have now signed Nicky Shorey on loan from Aston Villa.