Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
OLD DOG NO TRICKS
Brighton’s peerless striker Murray says: I hope my body keeps going so I can become Seagulls’ leading goal scorer of all time
GLENN MURRAY hopes his body holds out long enough for him to write his name in Brighton’s record books.
Murray was called back into the Albion team last week, with Graham Potter’s side sliding dangerously down the table on a run of just one win in nine Premier League games.
When in trouble, call for the old heads. And if those old heads have a knack for knowing where the goal is, like 36-year-old Murray, even better.
Sure enough the old warrior, in only his fourth league start of the season, delivered. Brighton were 3-1 down at the London Stadium against fellow strugglers West Ham. But Pascal Gross pulled one back before Murray, with 11 minutes left, rammed the ball home to grab his team a point.
It was Murray’s 111th goal for Brighton in two spells and it took him to within 13 of breaking club record goalscorer Tommy
Cook’s tally of 123, set between 1921-29.
It was Murray’s 205th goal in a career stretching across 18 years and 574 games for 11 clubs, counting the two spells in Sussex.
He said: “It would be amazing to break that record, something that would put my name in this club’s history book forever. I don’t think there will be anyone close to beating it again. You’ve got to be here for a lot of years, and score on a regular basis. Nowadays players don’t spend too long at one club.” Despite keeping the striker on the bench for most of the season, Potter always insisted Murray was an important part of his squad. There had been speculation that he might move on in January, and he was even linked with Manchester United at one point before he signed a new one-year deal this week. “I let my agent deal with stuff like that,” said Murray. “I don’t want to stress myself out. Mind you, it’s not really stressful being linked with Man United! “But when there’s clubs in and you’re Googling train times and houses, it can be unsettling. But I’m happy with the decision I made. “I’m playing on my doorstep. It’s nice for thelvcldubstao:shtaotwin in me.”
Murray (left, in 2008, durinfgeuhgaisit,ficrosntsescpteeldl tookvtoilporsilfisrsoims Seagnuolnl Brunoex, actoneuallarlfya3ci9ll,aofneuhisolwea May to lookauatfatteier “I do ice baths, yoga, pre-habilitation before training and after,” said Murray. “I watched Bruno, his regime of keeping his body right. I took bits from him. “I still feel the same. When a young lad whizzes past me I wonder if he would have got past me years ago – but I’m pretty sure he would have! I just play to my strengths. “I can go on for another two or three years. The hunger is still there. But I’ll have to listen to my body. It might give up tomorrow!” Murray is hoping Potter keeps faith with him for today’s crucial clash with Watford and the rest of the campaign. “I have had to adapt to being patient,” added the striker. “But it is all about being fit and well and ready to go when needed. “I am ready to go. But ultimately its not my decision.” Potter’s father died last week, just six months after his mother passed away, Murray knows his boss is going through a tough time. He said: “With a high-pressure job in the Premier losing both his parents within six months, is just awful. “We just wanted to go out at West Ham and fight for him.”