Over the past four seasons, the Fulham starting XI has adopted varying shapes and systems. Players have come and gone, while others have occupied a selection of roles. However, in the heart of our midfield one thing has remained constant – the presence of our captain and chief orchestrator.
At 34, Danny Murphy, veteran of the pitch and dressing room, continues to drive the Whites forward. Calculated, commanding and bold, he still stands as one of the Premier League’s most cultured performers.
Having completed his 18th season as a professional last weekend, our midfield talisman still holds the same enthusiasm for the game as he did when he first broke through as a 16-year-old hopeful at Crewe Alexandra.
His CV has since been updated by time spent at Liverpool, Charlton and Tottenham, and decorated by nine England caps and a sum of trophies including the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup. But, it is perhaps his four years at Craven Cottage that serve as his most rewarding, with Murphy playing a significant role in the Club’s recent transformation.
From Fratton Park to Hamburg’s HSH Nordbank Arena, his influence has stretched far and wide. And the good news is, he holds no thoughts of letting up any time soon.
“There’s no reason why I can’t go on for a couple more years,” states Danny. “Of course, time will tell, but I’m hopeful. I’m in a good place and don’t feel any different to how I did this time last season. I’m playing games, the Manager is happy, and I’m desperate to keep that going.
“To captain the team to another successful season has been a great honour for me, and looking back on what we have achieved as a team over the past couple of years fills me with a lot of pride. It has been a very satisfying period for me.”
Predictably, some had expected Murphy’s impact to wane, and his time on the pitch to lessen. But with progress maintained and the team settled, his tenacity, experience and direction have been as vital as ever.
Occupying a more reserved central position, he has undoubtedly thrived – featuring in all but one of our league games and appearing in all of our cup encounters. By the end of last month he had touched the ball more than any other player in the league.
“It has been a very pleasing season in many senses,” he explains. “On a personal level, I think one of the biggest things has been the fact that I have managed to avoid injury, which has been a result partly of luck, but also hard work on my part.
“I do have a lot to thank the medical and fitness team for though, because the work they do behind the scenes to keep us out there every week is immense. And believe me, when you get that little bit older you need that more and more.
“The only disappointment for me has been the fact that I haven’t scored that many. I’ve always enjoyed contributing on that front, but I suppose the way that we now play, with either Dickson or Steve Sidwell pushing forward that bit more and myself sitting back, that was always going to be the case.
“But if it means the team benefits, then that is fine. As long as results are going our way and we are playing well, that’s all that matters. Playing deeper suits me perfectly though, and will probably mean that I can play for a bit longer too.”
Fulham’s eighth place finish in the Barclays Premier League was a major achievement considering it was Mark Hughes’ first season in charge and as Murphy explains, the second half of the season saw everything come together on the pitch for Fulham.
“In many ways it has also been a difficult season,” admits Danny. “Particularly early on, when the injuries to our front players were mounting up – that was a real struggle. Going into the Christmas period we had drawn too many games, and after that disappointing defeat against West Ham on Boxing Day, we found ourselves in the bottom three.
“At that point I did sense a tiny bit of panic, although not so much amongst the players because we all knew that things would unfold for the better, it was just a case of being patient.
“Fortunately, our fortunes turned around after that win at Stoke and this calendar year has been a really consistent phase for us. There have been a few blips along the way, but we’ve finished the second half of the season very strongly – which is what you want.
“In a lot of ways, it is a shame that the campaign has come to an end because we were certainly one of the in-form teams. But on the flipside, we finished the season on a high and in confidence. That will run on into pre-season and, in turn, help us start next year in a similar vein.
“The last thing you want is to be struggling at the end of the season and being thankful that it has come to an end – we’ve been there before and it’s not nice. We’re already looking forward to getting going again because everyone is desperate to do well and impress.”
As is often the case during the summer months, players will inevitably come and go. Competition for a starting spot is already high, particularly in the Fulham midfield, but Murphy looks well prepared. In what will be Mark Hughes’ first summer transfer window, he predicts an intriguing run up to the new season.
“I’m very aware of the fact that, more than ever, this summer is going to be one in which I have to look after myself in terms of coming back even fitter and sharper,” he levels. “Things move on, teams improve and opponents get stronger.
“I can’t drop my standards, but thankfully I have a lot of inspiration around me. I tend to look at the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, and Gary Speed before them – players that have that desire to do well and keep going - I am no different.
“This is the strongest the squad has been in my time at the Club and everywhere you look there is competition in every position. That’s something that we haven’t perhaps had in the past, and that strength has certainly come as a benefit to the team because performance levels have risen as a result.
“The Manager had a really tricky start, let’s be honest. Anyone that joins a club as late as he did will always be playing catch up to a certain extent. It took us a little while to take onboard the new ideas and approach.
“But I think people have seen the team evolve. The Manager and his staff can be proud of the job they have done in their first season here. He always maintained that once we had everyone fighting fit that we would challenge for a place in the top 10 and that has happened.
“They [the coaching staff] have a full pre-season with us now, and I’m sure they will bring players in and make us that bit stronger. I think it could be an interesting summer, although if I’m honest, I don’t believe that too many changes are needed. I’m a believer in the old saying ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.”