Dane Murray reveals the Celtic hero he turns to ‘in good moments and bad’

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Dane Murray’s journey from the Celtic Academy into Martin O’Neill’s first team is one that has been fraught with pain and excitement.

As a youngster, Murray suffered horrific injuries that stunted his development at Celtic and held back his progress into the Hoops’ first-team squad.

Now, after being in and around the Celtic first-team for the best part of two years, Murray is now an established senior player as the defender credits the one person at the club he says always had his back through thick and thin.

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Stephen McManus is Dane Murray’s Celtic hero

Every youngster needs someone to look up to and speak to and it seems that Celtic coach Stephen McManus was a rock for young Murray in his early days at Lennoxtown.

Murray told The Celtic Way, “I think I’ve known Mick [Stephen McManus] since I was about 16. I worked with him at the reserves, so I’ve known Mick a long time.

“I think to have somebody like that that you can turn to in the good moments and the bad, especially with what he went on to do here as a player and as a captain and now coming back as a coach, it really does help having someone like that you can turn to for advice.

“He was a good player as well. Even now, he was joining in training yesterday. He’s still got it.”

Dane Murray’s Celtic career so far

For Murray, he’s now established in the Celtic first team and is likely to remain there for the rest of the season.

Despite mistakes in Celtic’s draw at Rangers and defeat to Hearts, Murray has shown an incredible mental strength to prove he is good enough to start for O’Neill when called upon as the title race heats up.

Here is how Fotmob have rated Murray’s season so far:

• Appearances: 14
• Average rating: 6.90
• Duels won: 74.5%
• Aerial duels won: 75.6%
• Average tackles per game: 1.82
• Average clearances: 70.6

So far, at 22, Murray has shown good potential to become a reliable Celtic defender for the future. Let’s hope McManus continues to be a positive influence on the young man and the ex-Hoops captain turns Murray into a star for the Bhoys.