Wolves keeper Matt Murray insists the one fixture he is looking forward to is not Birmingham or even fellow relegated sides Derby and Reading – but Doncaster.
Murray is currently battling to be fit for the big Championship opener at Plymouth, after a year out with cruciate knee ligament damage.
But the most intriguing clash for the 27-year-old shotstopper was when Wolves were facing promoted Rovers, who haven’t played Wolves for over 22 years.
He said: “In my case the games with Doncaster take on extra significance because a lot of my wife’s family are Doncaster fans.
“They were all there at Wembley when they won the play-offs recently and I was getting all the texts saying, ‘see you next year’.
“They will be two great fixtures to look forward to, and I imagine it will be pretty cold up in Yorkshire on December 20.
“The home game on the last day of the season is also the day after my birthday and could well prove a really important game for both teams.
“As to my wife’s loyalties I think she will be wanting me to do well.
“First off because it will put me in a better mood and secondly because it means she might get another shopping trip out of me!”
Murray’s first priority is to be available for the curtain-raiser at Argyle on August 9.
He said: “Plymouth is first up which is a long way to go.
“Hopefully we will go down there and get our campaign off to a successful start.
“We were down there on the first day a couple of years ago for the gaffer’s first game when I did alright and we managed to get a point.”
25 Comments
There seems to be a lot of press exposure for Matt at the moment does he know something we dont
Wolfhound
It would be absolute madness to sell Wayne Hennessy as there have to be monumental question marks over Matt Murray’s fitness and reliability over a full season.
Just imagine that Wayne was sold and Matt’s fitness broke down early in September after the transfer window had closed until January.
Far far better solution is to send Matt out on loan until Christmas and then if his fitness and sharpness has returned consider offers for Wayne. With the resulting money for Wayne strengthen the squad in the January window and push on for promotion.
Spot on Weston Wolf. As talented as Murray is he is a liability with his injury record. Unless Hennessey wants to leave the ball is in our court as he is on a 4 year contract. If MM cocks it up again next season, we can sell him then. His value will only increase in the next 12 months and it will fund a new manager and transfer kitty if MM fails again. Why sell him now?
Doncaster in December - Nothing like setting your sights high.
Murray must have loved going round Bilston market on a Saturday while he was out injured.
2. sensible comments there, pity a few others dont follow your example of straight thinking.
4 - Rather Bilston any day than sandwell, handsworth or handsworth. we all know how high your sights are set
Ronaldo is also on a 4 year contract - doesn’t mean a thing!
4) At least we won’t be propping up our division. A lot of your fans are very blinkered. You lost 11 games and had a poor defence last season and have since lost one of your better players. So where is the confidence that you are going to do well come from…?
8 You are now even calling the CCC your own league in Mad MM we trust to keep you in there.
Keeping in the CCC is now your aim. Hi Ho silver Lining
8. brw, we lost 11 games and finished Champions!!
Lost one of our better players?? You thinking of Gera, who played pretty much a squad player role last season? Oh, I guess you lot think he was one of our best players because he scored against you at the custard bowl? Remember the penalty miss at the Hawthorns?
Since you keep banging on about Albion being bottom next season, I’d just like to ask you this…
Let’s say you didnt miss the playoffs by one point, and get even more ridiculous and say you won the playoffs… how do you think your team would fair in the Premiership?
Given that you keep saying how poor WBA will fair, and given that WBA are obviously a stronger team than Wolves, then the logic would be that you would hold no hope for WWFC to be able to compete in the Premier.
So does that mean you dingles really are happy to be a second tier mid table outfit?
It’ll be even colder up there matt, sitting on the bench make sure you take your long john’s
10.. GROW UP..
4. id rather have an injured matt murray than a fully fit dean kiely!!!
8 - I asked an sensible wolves fan for his honest opinion after we had won 1-0 at your place. His answer was “men against boys”. say no more !
Murray for England!!!!!!!
Carl Ikeme isn’t bad also….don’t forget him.
10) We played poorly last season, the manager made some silly decisions and had many key players for most or all the season ie murray, kightly, davies and gobern and lost 1 less game than you. All these ridiculous comments of being the Brazil of the Championship…? When you were up against a Premiership team in the cup, how many goals did you score…. 0!
Bednar, Moore and Phillips if he stays are going to have little or no joy!
14) How well did you play against us at your place…? For 20 minutes tops and you even had the luxury of a dodgy penalty.
The crowd at your place were silent. That says it all!
Matt is one of the best keepers in the country. He would have played for England if it wasn’t for the injuries.
I hope he can finally put all the troubles behind him and have a few injury free seasons.
Hennessy is good but a fit Murray is awesome.
15 brw, you didnt answer the question I asked, simply avoided reasonable football debate with more unreasonable statements.
The argument that “we played poorly last season” means nothing, or are you suggesting that you have the quality, and as long as you dont “play poorly” next season (hyperthetically in the Premier, since that is what I asked)you’d run away with the league?
West Brom hit some terrible form, this, and with the non physical free flowing football that really isnt suited to the CCC meant we dropped many points. (remember WBA v Wolves, when we out played you lot throughout?) But the Brazil style of football we played will be effective in a league of highly skilled players.
The Portsmouth argument? From what I saw, and I didnt have the advantage of TV replays, we were unfortunate not to score when Koren rattled the woodwork, James pulled off a great save against Miller and they had one chance when the ball was handled by Baros and “our best player” tried to clear only for Kanu to be fortunate. You have to admit, it was a close game, and if your suggesting Portsmouth are a poor premier side then you really are deluded?
So, do you fancy having a reasonable debate on the comparisons of our teams achievements, ambitions and future?
Here is a big concern. Why are we supposedly looking at the Carlisle goalkeeper alongwith Coventry and Ipswich? That can only mean that Hennessey might be sold.
I hope the Pie and Pint man is not covering up again!
16)Wolves played well at the Albion and did a very professional job, MM played five across the middle and got the point he came for. The big difference between the two teams is going forward, you had to open the game up at your place and that enabled us to show our attacking ability. Its time for you to hold your hands up and admit you can’t be lucky over 46 games !
15) We did not deserve to be in the play offs but a very big point that you Albion fans are missing is that we have many good quality, YOUNG players that might do rather well in the league above - Hennessey, Foley, Elokobi, Kightly, Jarvis, Davies, Gleeson, Ebanks-Blake and Keogh. What we would have to do is sign some experienced campaigners to nurture them on!
Granted Telford Baggie, you can’t compare Pompey and the baggies in one match although Pompey were in a terrible run of form towards the end of their premiership campaign. However, you have to admit so far that your team strenghening with the likes of Moore, Bednar and a Rochdale reserve doesn’t exactly set the pulses racing. I hope you stop up because the premiership needs clubs like ourselves. But on what you’ve signed so far,(i know its early days) you are going to struggle bigtime. As regards the Wolves, i think MM is in for a bumpy ride and unless we improve and look the part by Xmas, i think he will be gone. The first few of our fixtures are real tests and MM is going to be under alot of pressure this time around.
wish we guin to doncaster instead of arsenal,man u,liverpool,chelsea,bet hes looking forward to going to swansea to,aye boing boing aye
22. RC, good reasoning in your post despite the silly Rochdale jibe. I’m pretty sure Paddy (if signed) is not being signed up to come tearing into the team and rip the prem apart!! And for you to think that, thats the plan and our signings will stop there is just showing either ignorance or disrespect to TM? Either way you have to agree that its just a little bit silly to even think about.