Hemmeligheten bak hans kanonsesong

Josh Murphy var Pompeys beste spiller i 2024/25. Nå deler han sine tanker om hvorfor han leverte en slik strålende sesong.

NYHETER: Det kom overraskende på mange at Pompey klarte å sikre seg Josh Murphy gratis sommeren 2024. Han hadde da nettopp skutt Oxford til Championship i playoff-finalen på Wembley. De ønsket selvsagt å ha han med videre, men ettersom hans kontrakt gikk ut var han en ettertraktet mann.

Pompey var klubben som sikret seg hans underskrift. Han skrev under på en treårskontrakt med Pompey, og Pompey har også opsjon på ytterligere ett år.

Hans første sesong kunne knapt gått bedre. Josh Murphy spilte 42 kamper, scoret sju mål og hadde 14 assists. Og det som kantspiller på et lag som lå i bunn og kjempet for å unngå nedrykk store deler av sesongen. På de offisielle statistikkene kommer det også fram at han var den spilleren i Championship som skapte flest store sjanser i 2024/25.

Murphy fylte 30 år i vinter og det er nok kun takket være alderen hans at Pompey sannsynligvis får beholde han også kommende sesong. Hadde han vært under 25 ville klubbene stått i kø for å sikre seg hans underskrift. Nå har det allerede vært noen rykter etter sesongslutt om klubber som ønsker å hente han, men Pompey trenger ikke å selge ettersom det neppe kommer noen storbud. Og klubbene som har vært linket til ham etter sesongslutt har vært andre Championship-klubber, blant annet Norwich (hvor han startet sin karriere).

SE OGSÅ: Josh Murphys spillerprofil

 

Josh Murphys uttalelser til lokalavisen The News etter sesongslutt

«I am happy here, I am settled here, there’s a lot going on and the club is building to push for the Premier League – and that aligns with what I want to do. I am happy here and I want to keep playing at Fratton Park because this place is pretty special. It has been great all season, who wouldn’t want to be playing here?

Being settled here brings the best out of me. I am settled here, the family love it down here, I have a manager who believes in me and backs me and the club is going in the right direction. With my performances, this is the base I want to work off going into next season and I believe I can still get better, I believe I can get more goals and assists, so hopefully this is just the bench mark for the future.’

«I believe I have shown I can put everything together consistently over a whole season. Consistency has always been a stigma around my career – what Josh Murphy are you going to get? Are you going to get one that is good or one that is absolutely shocking? So it’s nice to get the consistency.

I know it sounds stupid, but I think the reason is not trying as hard. When you are desperate to impress, desperate to keep your shirt, you probably put a bit more pressure on yourself than what’s needed, then you start snatching at things. That’s why I probably haven’t got as many goals because it has been on my mind – whereas assists have been flowing because I’m in the groove.

I’ve not really changed the way I approach the game. If I’ve got the ball at my feet, I know I can go both ways, I’ll back myself against any full-back, against any opposition. I am confident in that sense, but it’s just going out there and trying to have an impact. I can get stopped 10 times and all I need is that one moment. Once I know that, it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you’re going to make, you can be the difference. Just stay in the game and your chance will come to get the goal or assist.

‘It doesn’t matter who you are playing against, weak or stronger opposition, I will always back myself to produce because it’s 11 men against 11 men, there is nothing to fear. That’s a big thing in football, sometimes you will fear a team Yet if you break it down, you’re just playing against another 11 guys, so I try to block things out. I just think it’s a training game, everyone at training is completely free in their best state, that’s the way I see it. It’s another training game.

Obviously there’s a bit more on it in a match because three points are on the line, but I try to eliminate any sort of pressure to go out there and play my best football. This is the base I want to work off going into next season. I believe I can still get better, I believe I can get more goals and assists. Hopefully this is just the bench mark for the future.’

Josh Murphy ble stemt fram som årets spiller 2024/25 også hos oss i Venner av Portsmouth. Her sammen med Pål Alexander Lea.