Ian Murray refuses to make plea for cup final spot

EVERY footballer dreams of playing in cup finals, but there are several reasons why Ian Murray may just be more eager than any of his Hibernian team-mates to take part in next week’s Edinburgh derby at Hampden.

For one thing, he has just recovered from a hip injury and is anxious to be back playing again. For another, he can’t stand the nervous feeling of watching your team play from the stands and being unable to affect the outcome.

And, with his contract about to expire, he would welcome the chance to remind prospective employers of his ability. Then, perhaps most significantly, as a Hibs supporter he would love to be on the field for what would be his club’s first Scottish Cup win in 110 years.

But no matter how many reasons he has for wanting to realise that dream, Murray is experienced enough to know that he is unlikely to be in Pat Fenlon’s squad for the cup final – not even if he plays a blinder at Inverness today in Hibs’ final league match. In his absence, his colleagues have made a modest yet nonetheless marked improvement, steadily showing better teamwork. Perhaps most significantly, they showed in the 4-0 relegation decider against Dunfermline on Monday that they had shaken off the nervousness which once dogged them on the big occasion.

“I’d say I have a very small chance,” he accepted. “I’m not expecting massive changes. I don’t think anyone is, to be perfectly honest. That’s fair enough, because the team the gaffer has picked over the last few weeks has done quite well. And having been injured for six months, it’s just bad timing for me. But I’m available, put it that way, so I wouldn’t completely rule myself out.

“I’ll be able to enjoy the day anyway. It’s quite hard trying to explain to people that if perhaps I’d been at another club it would be difficult to motivate myself fully as much as I could here.

“If I was at Inverness, for example, and I wasn’t stripped it would be difficult. But the fact it’s a Hibs v Hearts game, from my point of view makes it a big game regardless.

“I think it will be an eye-opener. None of us has seen a Hibs v Hearts final before, with the ground split in half between green and maroon. Hopefully we get a good day in typical cup-final weather and, in the minutes before kick-off, the whole arena looks magnificent.”

Murray’s individual desire to be involved a week today is also offset by his hope as a Hibs supporter that Fenlon selects the team with the best chance of winning the cup. For that reason, he has no intention of making a plea to the manager to include him for sentimental reasons.

“None whatsoever,” he said. “I’m not tempted. I would rather be picked on merit than anything else. I can deal with it my own way and just move on.

“It will be worse just sitting and watching the game. It’s much more nervy watching the game in the stand. I’d let myself wander off into dreamland and I don’t think I would settle until we were 3-0 up in the last five minutes. I can see it being a really tight game, actually.

“If we win it’s going to be a fantastic day for everyone, just being the fact we’re all Hibs fans and the achievement of winning the cup. And if we lose we’ll just have to get on with it. It will be business as usual, we’ll go away on our holidays and hopefully put it behind us.

“But in terms of pleading to play? I don’t think so.”

If he does not play next week, today looks set to be Murray’s final appearance of his second spell as a Hibs player. At 31, he should have several years ahead of him in the game, but where his next appearance will be, and in whose colours, he does not know.

“I have no idea. I have had no talks with anyone and, obviously, when you are injured it doesn’t help. But there are teams looking for players out there and I’m sure something will turn up.”

Before he has to look around in earnest, and no matter if he is involved or not, the cup final will take up all Murray’s time for the next week. Unsurprisingly, he has a feeling that this is Hibs’ year. “I still try not to think too far ahead, but I have to say all the omens this year are pointing to us. That doesn’t mean we are going to win. We were in the [League Cup] final against Livingston and we were heavy favourites and were well beaten” – back in 2004, when Murray was omitted because of injury.

“We have to look back and remember these things and know anything can happen. Some people believe in luck, some people don’t. Ask anyone – they’d rather have luck on their side next week.”