Everywhere you look across this history-making Newcastle United team, there is a brilliant story.
There is Joelinton’s incredible turnaround, Dan Burn’s Geordie dream playing out in front of our eyes and Eddie Howe proving any of his doubters wrong after becoming the man to end our 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy.
Then you have Jacob Murphy; the boyhood Toon fan who has been on one hell of a journey himself. He’s been speaking to the media since Saturday’s celebrations and his words are well worth a read.
Murphy: There’s more to come
Speaking to Mark Douglas at the i, Murphy revealed how blown away he is by Saturday’s scenes – and warns Newcastle council that they may have to get used to this!
“You drive those streets daily, weekly but then to see them full of people is something you can’t put into words. I didn’t know there were that many people in Newcastle!” he said.
“As a club we want to be doing that every season and without putting too much pressure on ourselves we’ve now set a level and that’s what we have to be aiming for and striving for every season.
“Granted it’s not going to happen every season because wonderful teams up and down the country are going to make it difficult for us but these are moments, now that we’ve got a taste for it and we want it again.
“It feels like the start of something. I think the Newcastle fans, the council, everyone – they’re going to have to get used to this, the planning and the logistics of a bus parade.
“We always knew that the specialness was in being the first. To be on that bus knowing we are the first in so long to do it makes it even more special.”
An “amazing” journey – but we want the “big dog” next!
Murphy signed under Rafa Benitez in a £10m move from Norwich, but struggled to make an impact initially and was even shipped out to the Championship for a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday.
The 30-year-old admits that many felt his ‘time was up’ after the takeover. Yet, three and a half years later, it was his header that set up Alexander Isak’s decisive goal in our 2-1 win over Liverpool at Wembley.
Reflecting on it all, he said: “The journey I’ve been on [makes it mean more]. There’s one point where everyone thought it was my time to go but I never thought that and there I was on that bus parade, and leaping at the back post, nodding it down to our superstar striker to put us 2-0 in front [in the final].
“So it’s just an amazing journey, one I’m proud of and one my family are proud of. It’s just awesome.”
On what’s next, Murphy insisted we now have 10 cup finals in our push for Champions League football: “That’s the aim, we’ve got 10 huge games now,” he said.
“There’s 30 points to get and we need to try our best because we might have got some sort of European football [the Carabao Cup win qualifies the club for the Conference League] but we want the big dog.”
Murphy eyeing England call
Finally, our smiling assassin discussed his hopes of receiving an England cap one day, revealing how he and Toon coach Graeme Jones have talked about a call-up for several seasons now.
“It’s a conversation me and [first-team coach] Graeme Jones have been having for a number of seasons”, Murphy said on his England ambitions. “I have to keep putting out performances because they’re always keeping an eye out for English players.”
“To see Dan get his call-up was amazing, it does give you that extra motivation. We’ve got [Anthony] Gordon, Lewis Hall, Tino [Livramento] and when you’re kicking it with them every week, you think there’s every chance in the future.
“I keep my head down and – you know – I’ve just won a cup with Newcastle so who’s to say no to getting a call-up?”
The way this club and these players are going, you just never know!
About Olly Hawkins
As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.
