I haven’t paid a lot of attention to Danny Murphy’s blog since his first effort focussed almost entirely on Liverpool’s dramatic fall from grace in the league. It reads as though it’s been ghost-written by an experienced journalist probably to edit out the refreshing honesty that ocassionally makes interviews and newspaper columns interesting.
Murphy gives us the expected steer about Fulham’s priorities, despite our unexpected away win at the Reebok on Saturday.
There’s been talk about finishing high in the league, and even about European places as seventh place might be enough for a UEFA Cup berth. However, I am very aware after last season’s dramatic finale that you can easily get dragged back into the relegation battle. I don’t think you can ever stop worrying about the fact you can be relegated until you are a long way past the magic 40 points mark.
Murphy warns against looking too high up the table – and echoes the concerns of his manager that we might have too slim a squad to be able to sustain a European challenge and a good domestic season simultaneously – and reckons that finishing in the top half ‘would be a fantastic achievement’. No argument there.
Whenever I’ve seen/heard Danny interviewed he has always come across as the kind of thoughtful, intelligent footballer who isn’t splashed across the front pages of the tabloids. I seem to recall reading that he has been doing his coaching badges in preparation for extending his time in the game once he eventually hangs up those boots. It would be nice if he could be included in the management structure at Fulham whilst he learns the ropes, like Mark Pembridge, for example.
