The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Murray ready for return to Scotland
Striker, 27, targets move home after ending deal in South African top flight
Former Dundee and Dundee United striker Simon Murray is targeting a return to the Scottish game this summer after playing his last game in South Africa.
Murray, 27, thinks an extension to this season due to the coronavirus shutdown might even see him back in action on home soil before the end of the campaign.
The Dundonian has enjoyed the last 18 months on an adventure at Bidwest Wits in the South African top flight but has had to spend almost the entirety of this season on the sidelines.
A damaged cruciate ligament early in the campaign required surgery which saw his place in the squad taken up.
Speaking from Johannesburg, he told The Courier: “I hurt my knee in the third game of the season and needed an operation so I’ve been out six-and-a-half months.
“Because there’s a limit on the number of foreign players over here, the club signed another forward when I was injured and he took my place so we’ve come to an agreement to terminate my contract when I’m fit.
“The club have been really good, to be honest, they’ve made sure I got through the injury and looked after me during rehab.
“The plan was to stay here in South Africa, get the rehab done and recover from the injury and then head back to Scotland in the summer but because of all this coronavirus it is up in the air.”
Murray revealed there has already been interest in his services, once he is back up and running, from Premiership and Championship clubs.
He said: “During the injury, I’ve had some interest from a few teams. Nothing concrete, though, and I want to prove my fitness first before doing anything.
“If the season gets extended, that might end up being a good thing for me.
“There might even be time for me to play for somebody this season depending on what happens. That would be great for my fitness before heading into preseason.”
Despite the impact the coronavirus has had on life back in Scotland, Murray and his family are planning to head back to Dundee in the coming weeks with his time at Wits coming to an end.
In South Africa, the virus hasn’t yet had the same effect as in Europe and the football season was only shut down last week.
He admits there are worries but being back home and closer to family and friends is a draw for Murray as he plots the next move of a career that has seen him turn out for Montrose, Downfield, Tayport, Dundee Violet, Arbroath, United, Hibs and then the Dark Blues before heading for Johannesburg.
He added: “There haven’t been any deaths so it is all just starting here, to be honest.
“I think countries like this have learned from the ones who got it first so President Cyril Ramaphosa here is putting measures in place for prevention, hand sanitiser everywhere and things like that.
“I get UK TV so I’ve been hearing all the stuff from home, get to see Boris Johnson every night, and it is worrying.
“Having lived in South Africa, you are isolated at the best of times anyway so that won’t be as much a problem for people here.
“You never walk anywhere for safety reasons – don’t get me wrong, it’s a great place, but you have to be careful.”
Murray has loved his time in South Africa but says he is looking forward to getting back home.
“I’ve missed Scottish football in some ways, not others I suppose,” he added.
“The football is good over here but there’s not the passion in the stands like in Scotland.
“It’s a different culture. You’ll have a big game like Kaiser Chiefs against Orlando Pirates and it will be sold out, 92,000 people there, but there’s no segregation.
“There was a video of a fan in the stadium wearing both team’s shirts – imagine that happening in a Dundee derby.”