Daryl Murphy: the boy for Brazil

HE WAS the 11-year-oldWaterford kid who fell in love with Brazil watching them in the World Cup and then wore the canary and blue replica jersey on the street as he attempted to emulate his exotic heroes from the small screen.

Now, 13 years on, Daryl Murphy is in line to share the Croke Park pitch with the Samba stars of today and he is almost pinching himself at the prospect.“You would have to be a Brazil fan,” says the Sunderland striker. “The football they play is unbelievable. The skill and everything about them, it’s how football should be played.

“When I was growing up and watching the World Cup and things like that, I really liked them. I had a Brazil jersey when I was younger when playing on the streets. I remember the World Cup in 1994 with the likes of Romario when some of the goals they scored were unbelievable. I was 11 at the time. That was about the time when I really started getting into football.

“It is every kid’s dream to play for your country against Brazil and I’m no different. If I get a chance at Croke Park, it will be fantastic.”

Murphy may have to be content with a starting place on the bench tomorrow night but his good form for his club this season suggests he has every chance of adding to his six international caps at some stage during the 90 minutes in Croker.

“I have been playing regularly so I’ve been quite happy,” he says, his satisfaction all the more understandable given that, as recently as December, Roy Keane was prepared to let him go until Murphy proved his determination by seizing on an opportunity to get back into the first 11.

“There was a period of uncertainty for me,” he admits. “The gaffer told me that clubs were interested in taking me on loan and it was something I thought about. QPR then came in with an offer and, at the time, the club accepted it. I was trying to get my head around that and decide what was the best thing to do.

“But then the gaffer sat me down and said that he wanted me to stay, that he was going to give me a run in the team and that it was up to me to show what I can do. I played as well as I could, as I have always done, so that he would realise that I had something to offer the team and club. He knows what I can do and it’s up to do me consistently. I have found a bit of form from playing regularly and that’s what I needed.”

Murphy believes that Sunderland have enough quality to keep themselves out of the relegation zone and, to that end, is especially pleased about the acquisition of his Irish colleague, Andy Reid.

“Andy is a great signing,” he enthuses. “He brings a lot of quality and will provide competition for places. His passing and his vision are unbelievable. We all know what he can do and I think he is the sort of player we needed.”

For this week, however, Murphy’s focus is firmly on the international scene and, in common with everybody else, the player is intrigued to find out who will finally succeed Steve Staunton. But whether it will be Giovanni Trapattoni or Terry Venables is not something which overly vexes him, however.

“I am the same as anyone I am waiting patiently to see who is chosen,” he says. “There probably are some players who want to know now but the FAI want to take the time and get the right man for the job.

“I’m sure Trapattoni would be a good appointment, his record speaks for itself. He would be a fantastic manager to have. I’m sure you can get around the language problem. There would be people who could explain what he wants from us. But I rate both of them very highly. They’re two great managers in the game from what they’ve done. Either of them, it doesn’t really matter.”

All that matters to Murphy at this moment, you sense, is for the boy who played at being a Brazilian to play against them as a man.