Wolves keeper Matt Murray has thrown away his crutches and expects to be fit for pre-season training this summer.
That’s the news which will delight Wolves fans as the injury-cursed 26-year-old keeper, last season’s Player of the Year, predicts a full recovery from the cruciate knee surgery which ruled him out for this campaign.
See also: Matt Murray talks Wolves
See today’s Express & Star for the full exclusive interview with the Wolves keeper
That was the 14th operation Murray has had to endure in a career which has effectively been restricted to two full first-team campaigns for Wolves since his outstanding potential was recognised by the five-year contract awarded to him nearly 11 years ago by ex-boss Mark McGhee.
But after having the plaster removed at the weekend to regain his crutches-free mobility, Murray now has his eyes fixed on an April 2 scan which he hopes will clear him to begin his rehab.
“It was such a relief to get rid of the plaster and the crutches,” says the popular giant keeper, hero of last season’s thwarted promotion push and, memorably, the 2003 campaign which took Wolves into the Premiership.
“I had not even been able to drive and for nine weeks I could do absolutely nothing but sit at home and watch TV or read books.
“But I went into the club again on Sunday after the Burnley match and it was fantastic.
“The lads and the gaffer have been on the phone to me all the time to try to keep me involved and I really appreciate that.
“I’ve now got this scan on April 2 which I hope will clear me to start on my comeback.
“But my intention is clear - there will be no holidays this summer, just a slog to make sure I am ready for pre-season training.”
Murray is full of admiration for Wayne Hennessey’s outstanding season in his absence which, in the event of the previous No.1 returning to full fitness, will give Mick McCarthy an embarrassment of riches in the position.
He adds: “Don’t forget Carl Ikeme as well, he’s a terrific young keeper as well.
“It is going to be a terrific scrap to get that starting place but I am confident I will be making a challenge.”
39 Comments
Fantastic news.
If only this fella could remain injury free, he would P*** the England team,no worries!
See you in the Prem (hopefully)next season,Matt!
Good news indeed Matt and let’s hope all is well with the scan and that you will be back between the posts come August. Your deputy Wayne is doing a sterling job but you have that little bit more class than Wayne and that could be the difference when the ‘chips are down’!
He is the best goalkeeper we have - great shot stopper and commands the box - but can he remain injury free.I don’t think so, therefore we must keep Hennessy if we intend to be a force next season, which ever division we end up in.
Must be the best English goalie not currently playing.
Even our mates down the A41 would rather have a fully fit Matt Murray than Dad’s Army candidate,Dean Kiely!
Great news, Although Wayne has been doing a great job, i still think a fit Murray is still our no:1
he is a outstanding keeper,at least a level above hennessey.if he had not had his injuries,he’d be in the england team,but playing for a top premier team,by now,like his mates lescott & keane.
Laura,I think you have another admirer:-
faraway wolf said: Mar 15th, 2008 at 5:12 pm thanks kentwolf gr8 win lets keep it up whats Laura like
best keeper at wolves
FACT
Commands the goal area better than any goalkeeper I’ve seen for years.
Premiership and International capability, I just hope he can now stay clear of serious injury.
Fantastic news. On his day he is easily one of the best goalies in the country, I just hope once he’s back he can carry on injury free
Our NO.1 no question
A tremendous keeper on his day and the best keeper outside the premiership without question, If he’d been injury free then he’d probably be somewhere like Villa, Tottenham or Everton by now.
Its great that we have 3 good keepers but 3 fit keepers would be even better !
Great win on Tuesday night at home to Scunthorpe but we need to keep it up for saturday against rangers and for gods sake, play freddie along side ebanks-blake !
Come on me babbies….
Excellent keeper but can wolves hold on to him once he remains fit for a sustained period ? (Genuine question)
Easily our best keeper. Whilst you can point the finger at our lead footed defenders, you have got to question Hennessey coming off his line. Saying that he is still a young lad, so what is our goalkeeping coach doing?
If Morgan is not going to dig deep into his pockets for a quality central defender and one or two others - bearing in mind we will have Kites, Gobern, Davies etc back - we will have to sell Hennessey. As Matt has pointed out, Carl Ikeme is quality!
Kent LOL seen it.
murray-good command of the box, big lad, good shot stopper,poor kicker
hennessey-tall lad, good shot stopper, excellent kicker, not good commanding the box,(will improve with age)
pity we cant combine the 2 into 1 “super keeper”!!!!!!
Brilliant news.
Ok He is not better than robinson or russel hoult
Up the baggies
very good news please please get better and stay injury free,
I SUPPOSE HE WLL BE FIT FOR A FEW GAMES THEN GET INJURED AGAIN . CUT OUR LOSSES
Richard_Baggie22, do you know anything about football, Murray not better than Robinson or Hoult, you must watch football with your eyes closed !!!!!
murray - great keeper remember the play off final - oh happy days.
Murray is fantasic.Just his kicking that lets him down.Lets hope he dont sneeze in pre-season likely to keep him out for 6 months.
Good to see you coming back matt!!!!
Woodywolf you must be watching football with your eyes closed because thats Hennessy in goal and tell me has murray been able to keep 27 clean sheets in 1 season like hoult?????????
U2 WOLF:
Bet you said the same about Lescott!
24 - Hmmmmm , Hoult or Murray? Are you for REAL? Even in your warped little mind you must be able to see that Hoult is a big pile of steaming poo compared to Murray. In fact he’s a big pile of poo compared to most keepers. I suggest you take a break, and have a think about things, before you post anymore deranged and utterly, utterly, stupid comments.
laura,
you would get it
Ha Ha You Wolves Are A Load Of Freeks
18.
he’d wipe the floor with both of those keepers
typical baggie crap comment.
best English keeper no contest only reason why he isn’t in the full england squad is because of his injuries.
great news to hear he is on the comeback trail he really is a top draw keeper and if he had not have had those dreadfull injurys he would be in the england squad
ENGLANDS, ENGLANDS NUMBER 1, ENGLANDS, ENGLANDS NUMBER 1!!!
28 - You really do conform to the baggies stereotype don’t you. Slighly inbred and with no grasp of reality. For future reference, capital letters aren’t required for the start of every word. Instead of boring us with your bizarre attempts to wind us up, why not consider a course in basic adult literacy? I Hear Even Baggies Fans Can Get On The Courses These Days.
32 Pondlife:
Do you spellcheck? Slighly inbred?
Having said that,Richard_Baggie22,Freeks IS spelt freaks!
Lesson over.
On a serious note, I do hope that Murray does’nt need any more Ops.
He’s had more than me, the poor sod!
Ok im so sorry murray is the best keeper in the whole wide world. I was just wanting to see how easy it is to wind you all up very easy indeed. No murray is a gd keeper but you lot are overating him. But don’t think he will make the England squad. We Have no good keepers at albion waiting to see Denk in action
Not overated at all, Richard_Baggie22. His shot stopping and command of his area is immense. Unfortunately for Wolves and England I fear his Knee problems do not bode well, but here’s hoping. Best since Schmeichel.
excellent news i have had the honour of knowing matt for many years a more honest guy you will never meet.best keeper not to get an england cap by a mile.see you in the prem matt and hope its with the wolves.
Been watching Wolves since the mid 1960’s. Best goalie I have seen in our colours. Let down by poor goal kicking etc
There is obviously a multi million pound problem at this club.
Wed have 3 goalkeepers of excellent quality. Matt Murray, Wayne Hennessy, Carl Ikeme.
A club this size cannot afford to be paying high wages to three quality goalkeepers. Logically, we have to get rid of one of them.
The key is where we can make most profit. It seems to me that if we get a really good bidding session going we could get up to £10m for young Hennessy.
We are still left with exceptional goal-keeping quality for the Championship, which is where this club is devoted and targeted.
God forbid if the club are ever promoted into the Premiership, as we are totally dysfunctional at the level achieved by the winning clubs.
Moxey and his evil back-office are pussy-cats compared with the leading Premiership clubs. We will be butchered once again at that level, as we were the last time that Moxey failed the club so badly in the Premiership.