Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Duff won’t be down for long
HORNETS LOANEE MURRAY BACKS IRELAND DEFENDER TO SHOW CELTIC THE QUALITY THEY’VE BEEN MISSING
GLENN MURRAY adored his time in the English topflight trenches with Shane Duffy as Brighton avoided the drop two years on the trot.
He was a rock-solid warrior who bossed battles with the most physical strikers in the league and Murray (below) always trusted him to make that game-winning block.
The veteran forward, currently on loan at Watford, knows it won’t be long before every Celtic player feels the same way about his former team-mate. Since scoring in his first two appearances for Neil Lennon’s side, Duffy has struggled and was heavily criticised for his part in C eltic’s f our -game winless streak last month.
A clean sheet against Aberdeen in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Aberdeen could mark a turning point as Celtic prepare to host Sparta Prague in their Europa League group clash tomorrow night.
Murray, The Seagulls’ record post-war scorer with 111 goals over two spells, said: “We formed quite a bond through successful times over the last four years. We were pretty tight both on and off the field.
“I’ve spoken to Duff and he seems really happy up there and enjoying the challenge. Listen, it does take time to settle in to a different environment.
“He’s moved from Brighton where he was settled and happy and gone to new surroundings and team-mates.
“It affects everyone in different ways, it’s a very individual thing.
“It ’s a di f ferent typ e of football. Different types of pressure too. Our pressure was to remain in the Premier League.
“Now all of a sudden he’s at a different end of the table in a different league.
“In a team with the majority of possession and looking to win the title. I ’m sure he’ ll become settled i n the city and you’ll start seeing the best of him.
“For some of the biggest successes Brighton has ever seen, he was there.
“I’m sure he’ll carry on that form in Scotland and do the same job on what, for him on a personal level, is a bigger scale.
“I’ve caught a few Celtic live games, watched some highlights and tuned in to watch them in Europe.
“Any mistake hurts any player, especially if you know you are in the wrong.
“Regardless of outside influences, he will be disappointed with himself if he thinks he’s made bad decisions. I am sure he will be quick to rectify those.”