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‘You can't hide' – Alex Murphy relishing role as Ireland U21 leader in upcoming friendlies after stellar loan at Bolton
ALEX MURPHY is relishing his role as an Ireland U21 elder statesman after a coming of age season at Bolton Wanderers.
The 20-year-old spent the
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Alex Murphy is with the Ireland U21s for the friendlies against Croatia and Qatar
Credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportsfile
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He signed for Newcastle in 2022
Credit: Getty Images - Getty
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He spent the second half of the season on loan at Bolton Wanderers
Credit: Getty Images - Getty
Despite manager Ian Evatt being sacked just two days after his arrival, Murphy played 13 games under his replacement Steven Schumacher.
And the former
football
.
He said: "I really enjoyed it. I think I took a lot from it. I went in January, so it's not easy going in the middle of the season.
"I think we were second or third in February and March and kind of dropped off from then, which wasn't ideal because we had expectations to go up and the fans had expectations of us to go up so it didn't pan out the way we wanted it.
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"But for me, I think it was well needed.
"I think the last couple of years I've been trying to get out on loan and trying to get game time, but it hasn't quite happened.
"I think it was really good for me. I learned a lot in the six months I was there."
Murphy's preferred position is left centre-back, having been tried all across the back at Bolton - and even on the left wing.
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He added: "It was different because the manager, he doesn't really have a set formation or set style of play. We changed every week.
"We could have won one week and then we changed just depending on the opposition and I could be playing nearly as a left winger one game.
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"I think that was all really good for me because it was a lot of new stuff to me as well.
"I wasn't used to some of the stuff I would have done at Newcastle. I think that was good for me to learn how to play other positions and play a different style of football as well."
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His time away from St James' Park has allowed the 20-year-old to grow into a man, both on and off the pitch.
Murphy signed for Newcastle Utd in 2022 - having made his senior Galway debut when he was 17 - and featured 31 times for the club's U21s.
He has racked up two first team appearances for the Tynesiders, with his debut coming in a three-minute substitute cameo against
His loan form saw him called into the Republic of
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Murphy is one of the experienced heads in
The two friendlies will serve as appetisers before the Euro
qualifiers
begin against Moldova in September.
And Murphy is relishing his role as a leader having grown in stature at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
He said: "I think Jim said it to me as well. He sees me as one of the senior lads in the group.
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"I went into Galway young, so I was learning off the lads there.
"Even at Newcastle and Bolton, you pick things up off the seniors there and the experience they can give you.
"Now I'm just trying to bring that in. I think it's an important thing for any team to have a few leaders in it.
"I think when you go in to the first team early, you can't really hide. You have to make your presence known and not be a pushover.
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"I'd really want to become a leader in this group. I think it helps me as well if I'm a leader.
"I'm talking and I'm vocal on the pitch as well. It's beneficial for everyone if we have more leaders in the group."
