Wolves keeper Matt Murray takes a major step towards his return to senior action when he makes his comeback this week.
The 28-year-old one-time England hopeful is pencilled in for the reserves against Birmingham on Tuesday at AFC Telford (7pm).
Murray’s latest attempt to regain full fitness sees him back in action almost a year since he ruptured his patella tendon on loan at Hereford.
It’s been a long road for the hugely popular Murray, who sustained his latest serious injury in only his third game for the Bulls on his comeback from cruciate knee ligament reconstruction.
And Murray, who has been restricted to just 100 games since making his debut seven years ago, is playing down his latest appearance.
“It’s just the next step on my rehabilitation so I’m not getting too carried away,” said the giant keeper.
“But it will be nice to be back out there playing a match with a back four in front of me and getting used to things again.
“I’m looking forward to it, and hopefully will come through the 90 minutes with my knee feeling fine.”
Manager Mick McCarthy is delighted to see Murray back in action.
The former England Under-21 international was Player of the Year in McCarthy’s first season in charge in 2006-07 when he kept 17 clean sheets.
“He’ll probably play on Tuesday,” said the boss.
“He’s doing his level best to get back. I don’t think he’s anywhere near a first-team game yet, but he’s joined in with training for a few weeks now.
“We’ve been taking shots at him and he’s taking crosses and shots, so he’s made real progress.
“It’s great for Matt, first and foremost. It doesn’t matter how much running and weights and training you do, you want to get back playing matches, which for him is catching crosses and diving, getting at people’s feet and blocking things.
“It gives everyone a lift when people start coming back from injury.”
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10 Comments
Tis great news ,Good luck son.
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Englands Number 1 England Englands Number 1. Seriously though really hope you make it back kidda incredibly talented goalkeeper and top man. Would love to hear the roar the first time his name is read out in the starting XI again!
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I wish Matt all the very best, he has shown such courage and determination to battle back through a nightmare of injuries. Such a talented player.
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With England’s dire goalkeeping situation it’s such a great shame Matt wasn’t fit for the start of this season, but, it’s almost certainly too late to stake a claim for next summer. He’s got to shift Hennessey first anyway !.
Ray Clemence was one of his biggest fans and he’s still Capello’s goalkeeping coach.
I must have been smoking one of Whispy Wolf’s fags !
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Matt
Met him once, I have never met a more grounded down to earth person/footballer in my life.Lovely genuine guy.
Hope your dreams come true, playing for Woves in the premier league and England.
Good luck big man.
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That he could make it back and be the potential that he has. Outstanding goalkeeper.
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Good luck. His imminent comeback will concentrate the mind of the current goalkeepers as well.
I wish him well but the number of players who return successfully after two very severe injuries must be very low. I met him once and he seems a great lad and I wish him only the very best.
Please note how well the club has treated him.A lot of clubs might have just paid him off and got rid. Clubs with style like Wolves don’t do that. This is why they are worth supporting. Good luck Andy
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Great to see the big guy getting closer to a come back. Other players may have given up and walked away from the game. I suppose it shows the level of committment that both Matt and Wolves have given each other.
Hope the come back goes well.
Keep the faith
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Good luck. I wish we don’t get to read another headline like “Injury blow for Murray” soon…
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What a player, i remember seeing him live at the 2003 play off final! The penalty save was just immense, he should be wolves/england number 1! Capello needs to watch now, i hope hes at the reserve game tuesday, i surely will be! Bad result today really wasn’t what we deserved although by the 70th minute i felt the players had given up and didnt seem to care, heads up lads its the birmingham game and other fixtures like that we need to concentrate on! UTW!
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