Murphy Flattered By Speculation Tuesday, 2nd Jun 2015 09:47 Blues striker Daryl Murphy is flattered to be the subject of transfer speculation but says he knows nothing of any interest. Murphy, who scored 27 Championship goals as the Blues made the play-offs for the first time in a decade, was linked with then-Premier League Hull City in January, while Cardiff City are claimed to be targeting him this summer. Speaking from the Republic of Ireland camp where the 32-year-old was launching the 2015 Irish Football National Draw alongside his Town team-mate David McGoldrick, he told the Irish Herald: "Of course it is at my age, to be linked with moves like that because it means I must be doing something right. "I haven't heard anything. The gaffer just said to me to 'Enjoy your break' and wished me all the best when I joined up with the Irish squad. "I think next year Ipswich need to make signings because we need more players and hopefully they give the gaffer money to do that.” Murphy, who is contracted to the Blues for another year with the club having an option for a further season, has said on a number of occasions that he has no plans to leave Portman Road with his family settled in Suffolk. Manager Mick McCarthy and owner Marcus Evans have also said they are determined to keep hold of the Blues' top players. His fellow Waterford men Noel and Stephen Hunt are yet to be offered new deals by Town boss McCarthy but Murphy isn’t ruling them out still being with the Blues when the squad reassembles for pre-season training at the end of the month. “The gaffer doesn’t know what budget he has for next year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the lads again,” he continued. “They’re great lads to have around, and if they don’t come back then they will be sorely missed.” Having been the top scorer in English football during 2014/15, Murphy is hoping to add to his 14 caps - and score his first international goal - when, following a behind-closed-doors friendly against Northern Ireland on Thursday, Ireland face England in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday and Scotland in a Euro 2016 qualifier at the same venue on the following Saturday. He says he’s not sure whether he could have done too much more to impress manager Martin O’Neill during the season. “I don’t think so, no,” he added. “But the manager has his own ideas about what he wants to do. I tried all season to just keep doing what I was doing and the gaffer would have seen that but he has his own mind to make up on who is going to play, so we’ll see what happens. “Am I frustrated? No, because I was delighted to get back in the squad after being out so long. As I said before, getting the call-up gave me that bit more confidence and that’s probably why I got that many goals this season as well.” He admits that such a promising campaign ending in the play-off semi-final defeat to Norwich was frustrating: “Yeah, I wouldn’t have been good to be around for my missus and kids for a few days afterwards but they understood. “Listen, it was a massive game for us and the way we lost it was obviously a disappointment but I’ve put it out of my mind now because it’s all about focusing on these games with Ireland. “The England game is good because it obviously gets us prepared. A lot of the lads were finished at the start of May so it will help get their fitness up. And it’ll be a tough game because of the quality they have in their team.” McGoldrick, who could face his former Southampton team-mates Adam Lallana, Theo Walcott and Ryan Bertrand if he wins his second Ireland cap in the England game, made his return to Town action as a sub in the second leg of the play-offs after his lengthy absence due to a thigh injury and says he’s feeling good.  "In terms of sharpness, you won't know until you get out there and in a position to test that," he said. "But I feel good in training and now ready to kick on. "I missed the squad before for the last game when my thigh wasn't ready. Obviously I hadn't played much in three months now so it's good to involved with the lads and getting going again. "Like I said the last time, when I was in for the games against Scotland and the USA, these are the games you want to play in. It's a big match, it's good to train when you're here but I can do something and I'll give it my best shot. "There are some top strikers, top players in the squad here so I'll work hard and if I catch the gaffer's eye, I might get a chance. If not, I've got two good weeks' training.” The 27-year-old admits that being sidelined during the final few months of Town’s Championship promotion push was frustrating and praised his Blues strike partner for his excellent campaign. "Yeah, it was a tough time,” he added. “Obviously missing out on the lead-up to the play-offs, you want to be involved, that's what you're working for all season. "Daryl was on fire, he was the Championship Player of the Year for me, even if they didn't give it to him. He was so important to our season, scoring goals and assists."
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