Michael Murphy believes Donegal can triumph in transition season

Donegal captain Michael Murphy accepts his team are in a building process and player development is their priority in 2017.

Since the quarter-final defeat to Dublin last year, the 2012 champions have lost Rory Kavanagh, Colm McFadden, Éamon McGee, Christy Toye, and David Walsh, while Leo McLoone, Odhrán Mac Niallais, and Anthony Thompson have made themselves unavailable for the season. Factor in emigrated pair Paul Durcan and Ryan Bradley, as well and seven players from the team that beat Mayo five years ago are no longer part of the panel.

Murphy, who revealed manager Rory Gallagher has introduced 15 new players into the group, accepts they are in a transitional period after losing so many seasoned personnel. “It’s going to be difficult. You’re soldiering with them for the last 10 years. I’m going into my 11th year now, you’re spending all your time, you’re training with them, you get to know them, they become your best friends, you’re not going to see them as much anymore. But, yeah, that’s something we all have to get on with it.

“It’s a bit strange to begin with, your first couple of weeks back training. There’s still a good few of the lads about and with the younger lads who have come in, you’re just building up new friendships with them and they are the same type of characters, they’re from the same clubs and they’re just going to get their head now. The athleticism of them and the whole excitement of them brings you back to when you did start and it’s good to be involved with that again.”

Murphy won’t say Donegal will lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year but he won’t rule it out either. “You’re not going to come out and say it’s something you’re going to do. I still believe it. Yeah, we do have the ability and footballers to do it. I think we’ve a hell of a lot of things going for us but I know one of the main focuses of this first year, where we’ve maybe a three or four-year plan, is the development of this whole squad.

“Hopefully, success at maybe league and provincial level, if that does come. Without a shadow of doubt we’ll be going for an All-Ireland but I’m not going to sit here and say we’re going out to win an All-Ireland when I know myself that the development of all these players is the big one.”

Murphy accepts 24-year-old Mac Niallais’ reasons for taking some time out, while at least Donegal can count on experience in Neil Gallagher, 34 this year, Karl Lacey, 33 in September and Murphy, who turns 28 in August. However, Murphy admits his form last season disappointed him, though he refused to put it down to injury concerns.

“The reason there’s talk is when you struggle with form and you are not maybe playing as well as you want yourself, that’s the big one. Obviously, I wouldn’t have been really that happy with the way I was going last year and that was probably one of the reasons it was maybe levelled at me in terms of injuries. But no, the body felt okay.

“I think this year is one of the first years I’ve got a good run at a pre-season too so please God that will stand to me. Just plugging on, keep trucking on and try to do better.”

Murphy will spend part of next week in southern France when he teams up with Top14 rugby club Clermont Auvergne as part of the AIB Toughest Trade documentary, with former Welsh wing Shane Williams having spent last week with Murphy’s club Glenswilly.

The professional experience brings to mind the AFL opportunities put Murphy’s way earlier in his career. The Geelong Cats were keen on him but AFL was never for him. “There were sometimes I’d say to myself ‘I would love to be out in a professional environment’, and that was probably my opportunity to go and do that. To live in Australia, I wouldn’t have been cut out for it, not a hope. I just would have missed home too much. I know myself. I just want to play for Donegal.”

• Murphy’s exploits will be shown on TV in March as part of a documentary produced by AIB.