[Archived] Danny Murphy - Fulham Fan In Peace

[FulFan]

I thought I would post some thoughts and answer any questions you guys have.

First off, it was a pity to see you guys relegated last season. Having come up with yourselves and Bolton it was disappointing to be broken up at long last. As for your owners, again I have sympathy for you - Fulham have had some dodgy owners in the past including ones who wanted to merge us with QPR - we got lucky with Al Fayed, but no club is ever safe from terrible owners. I wish you guys well next season and even more so now that Danny is there.

On to Murphy:

1) He was Fulham's captain from the time Hodgson arrived and saved us from relegation in 2008 and was instrumental in each season - made crucial assists in the great escape season and scored the goal that kept us up at Portsmouth, ran the midfield for the remaining seasons and turned us into european finalists and a solid upper mid table team. Most Fulham fans consider him our greatest midfielder after Johnny Haynes and he was a fantastic player/captain for the club.

2) Last season he was excellent again. There are some opta stats about him being one of the players who created the most chances in the premier league last season so he definitely still has it. He is slowing down, but because his game has never relied on pace this is not a problem. You will no doubt laugh, but he is the closest the English have to a player like Andrea Pirlo - he runs games and if he is playing well is untouchable. As long as you surround him with some runners he will thrive. Fitness wise, he was fine last season. Most of the time he was taken off early was more to do with Jol wanting to get the team playing without him - this is because he was so crucial to our system.

3) His move is about playing time. Jol had wanted to keep him at Fulham but Murphy did not want to become a bit part player. I am pretty sure he will be a guaranteed starter next season and it would not surprise me if he is made captain. He is an excellent organiser from the middle of the park and you will quickly become accustomed to the frequent strops he has when players are getting things wrong. He is an on pitch leader and this will only help your cause next season.

4) Finally, I am not sure how much crap he will take from Keane. He was always a big presence in the dressing room and a natural team leader. When Hughes was managing us and we had a shaky start to the season, Murphy intervened with a group of senior players and got Hughes to change the playing style back to what the players were more comfortable with. Before the meeting we were rock bottom of the table after a boxing day hammering by West Ham but after the subsequent change, we finished 8th. I can't see him being Keane's lacky at all.

Apologies if none of you care, but if you have any questions fire away and I will answer best I can.

[T4E]

Welcome. We like Fulham fans round here

[MarkBRFC]

You could have put this in the 17 page Danny Murphy thread just below this to be honest. Thanks for the views though, hoping it will be an excellent signing.

[Mike E]

Have to say, I find Fulham fans the most approachable fans, out of all clubs I've had the pleasure of visiting in recent years

[he6rt6gr6m]

I like that last bit. Not sure about the Pirlo quote, mind.

Still, wouldn't mind seeing him in that position, behind the two midfielders, sitting deep and spraying the ball about. If anything, Murphy's tackling is better than Pirlo's hands down!

[Josh]

What I'd like to ask is who were your coaching staff when Fulham were promoted? and why do Shebby Singh and Danny Murphy seem to think it was Chris Coleman and Steve Kean who took Fulham from the Championship to the Premiership?

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Yea thb I would class Scholes as the closest player to Pirlo but each to their own. Murphy's ability to control the tempo of the game has impressed me greatly in his Fulham days though. And I'm liking the news concerning his usual influence in the dressing room.

I usually have a soft spot for Fulham, and especially so these days as I like your manager, you play alright football and Dempsey and Dembele are 2 quality players. Good luck for your season and I hope one day you sort your away record out.

[Ewoodbhappy]

You could have put this in the 17 page Danny Murphy thread just below this to be honest. Thanks for the views though, hoping it will be an excellent signing.

You've been a right miserable do da today.

[bob fleming]

Thanks for taking the time FF. One of your own, "ffan", often posts on here. Less so recently; for some reason. All the best to you guys.

Anyway, Murphy, I've always liked him. Good player. Good signing.

For clarity though - Kean Out.

[MarkBRFC]

You've been a right miserable do da today.

ha ha sorry, was the last day of my holiday & realised it was back to work on monday. Couldn't take it out on mrs & son so this place had to do!

[Kelbo]

I thought I would post some thoughts and answer any questions you guys have.

First off, it was a pity to see you guys relegated last season. Having come up with yourselves and Bolton it was disappointing to be broken up at long last. As for your owners, again I have sympathy for you - Fulham have had some dodgy owners in the past including ones who wanted to merge us with QPR - we got lucky with Al Fayed, but no club is ever safe from terrible owners. I wish you guys well next season and even more so now that Danny is there.

On to Murphy:

1) He was Fulham's captain from the time Hodgson arrived and saved us from relegation in 2008 and was instrumental in each season - made crucial assists in the great escape season and scored the goal that kept us up at Portsmouth, ran the midfield for the remaining seasons and turned us into european finalists and a solid upper mid table team. Most Fulham fans consider him our greatest midfielder after Johnny Haynes and he was a fantastic player/captain for the club.

2) Last season he was excellent again. There are some opta stats about him being one of the players who created the most chances in the premier league last season so he definitely still has it. He is slowing down, but because his game has never relied on pace this is not a problem. You will no doubt laugh, but he is the closest the English have to a player like Andrea Pirlo - he runs games and if he is playing well is untouchable. As long as you surround him with some runners he will thrive. Fitness wise, he was fine last season. Most of the time he was taken off early was more to do with Jol wanting to get the team playing without him - this is because he was so crucial to our system.

3) His move is about playing time. Jol had wanted to keep him at Fulham but Murphy did not want to become a bit part player. I am pretty sure he will be a guaranteed starter next season and it would not surprise me if he is made captain. He is an excellent organiser from the middle of the park and you will quickly become accustomed to the frequent strops he has when players are getting things wrong. He is an on pitch leader and this will only help your cause next season.

4) Finally, I am not sure how much crap he will take from Keane. He was always a big presence in the dressing room and a natural team leader. When Hughes was managing us and we had a shaky start to the season, Murphy intervened with a group of senior players and got Hughes to change the playing style back to what the players were more comfortable with. Before the meeting we were rock bottom of the table after a boxing day hammering by West Ham but after the subsequent change, we finished 8th. I can't see him being Keane's lacky at all.

THanks for that and this endorses what I was told and posted on here about Danny Murphy from people within the proffessional game, indeed, a demanding player is just what Rovers need if we have a chance of moving forwards, however, Kean is still manager and I dont think he has the organisation skills required to set up a team correctly so hopefully, welcome Danny Murphy, Captain and future player manager (ala Kendall)

Thanks for the post Fulham Fan, I also wish Fulham well for the future and look forward to your comments on Keans input on Fulhams promotion season which both Danny Murphy and Shebby Singh appear to believe.

Just a slight off the point here, as a kid, I was treated to an ice cream by the late Tommy Trinder back in the late 50s on a visit to London, what a wonderful guy and he loved Fulham!!

[FulFan]

What I'd like to ask is who were your coaching staff when Fulham were promoted? and why do Shebby Singh and Danny Murphy seem to think it was Chris Coleman and Steve Kean who took Fulham from the Championship to the Premiership?

Yeah, I'm not sure where Singh got this idea.

Tigana was the man who revolutionised Fulham. In fact, most Fulham fans reckon that Coleman's success at Fulham was mainly down to Tigana's team. As soon as Coleman had to replace key players we started sliding towards the trap door.

Keane was always blamed for the drinking culture that developed at the club and the subsequent destruction of the fitness levels developed under Tigana. I dont think Keane was at Fulham during the promotion season at all in fact.

[Kelbo]

Yeah, I'm not sure where Singh got this idea.

Tigana was the man who revolutionised Fulham. In fact, most Fulham fans reckon that Coleman's success at Fulham was mainly down to Tigana's team. As soon as Coleman had to replace key players we started sliding towards the trap door.

Keane was always blamed for the drinking culture that developed at the club and the subsequent destruction of the fitness levels developed under Tigana. I dont think Keane was at Fulham during the promotion season at all in fact.

Sound familiar???

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Have to say, I find Fulham fans the most approachable fans, out of all clubs I've had the pleasure of visiting in recent years

Agreed. In my opinion Fulham were the only club in the PL with even sounder fans than ours.

Suppose my only question about Murphy is do you think his guile and ability will compensate for his age in a rough and quite frenetic league?

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Suppose my only question about Murphy is do you think his guile and ability will compensate for his age in a rough and quite frenetic league?

Only one way to find out I guess. With these kind of players it's all about finding space and I'm sure Murphy will do fine. Regardless of his age and despite the fact Kean will be the one giving him instructions, I am very happy with this signing.

With any luck once again he intervenes with a group of senior players and tells Kean that every single thing he's doing is wrong. Kean freezes him out but then he leads a strike or something and the players refuse to play until he goes.....that would be unreal......with even the added benefit of the rest of the public realising he's a terrible manager that deserved everything he got, not that it was much or anything.

[FulFan]

Agreed. In my opinion Fulham were the only club in the PL with even sounder fans than ours.

Suppose my only question about Murphy is do you think his guile and ability will compensate for his age in a rough and quite frenetic league?

Its always tough figuring out if an older player can work in a rougher and more frenetic league.

I guess my view would be that whilst the Championship is a rougher league, the speed of thought needed to succeed is less, so in this respect, Murphy would be one step ahead of the opposition.

Add to this the fact he excelled in the faster and more technical league that is the premier league and I think he will be fine.

[purplegrover]

Thanks FulFan.

Interesting that you say you don't know how much crap he will take from Kean. If Danny has a decent footballing brain (as it appears he does) he will quickly see through Kean and will start criticising him. And history has shown us that those who dont 'play ball' with the bald one's ideas quickly end up joining Salgado et. al. in the dungeon. I hope that doesn't happen, because I am looking forward to seeing a lot of Danny in the blue & white, commanding the midfield with authority that our side has been sadly lacking of late.