Geordan Murphy Set To Retire

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19504432

Veteran Leicester Tigers captain Geordan Murphy is planning to retire at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old former Ireland international full-back has spent the last 16 years at Welford Road.

"If I feel I can continue playing then I will be baying Cockers [Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill] for another contract, but if it's time to go then it's time to go."

Murphy, who has played in seven Premiership-winning teams, four Heineken Cup finals and has also won 72 caps for Ireland, added: "I love it a lot and would contemplate staying on, but I don't know what shape my body will be at the end of the season."

"I'm hopefully going to sign off with some silverware."

He made his Tigers debut as a teenager in November 1997 and has played more than 300 games for the club.

"Things went fantastically well in my first three years, but I didn't ever expect to play for the first team," said Murphy, who announced his retirement from international rugby in May.

"I was offered another three-year contract and went on to win European trophies and lots of other silverware. At the end of that, I felt very loyal to the club and sort of made it my home away from home."

Absolute hero!

People seem to think he was hard done by O'Sullivan but 72caps is some achievement.

Wish him luck in all his future persuits

Real servant to the game. A brilliant player and a brilliant man.

Hopefully we can give him the send off he deserves, and like he said, grab some silverware.

One of the last old school rugby footballers

Bit light for the modern game. A bit like Martin Williams. Was once a great but as the game evolved he got left behind a little. Had some good days out with Ireland but lots of disapointments.

Remember him playing for the Newbridge SCT team v the Blackrock dream team in '96 I think it was. They were slaughtered but he looked a good player and was snapped up by Leicester almost straight out of school.

I guess he didnt want to play for Leinster as many of the Blackrock players that gave him such a hiding would be graduating to Leinster. Drico etc.

Bit of an odd time to announce this what one game into the season? And didn't we already know this at the back end of last season anyhow (when the tigers were looking at replacements for him like Martyn Thomas)?

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Bit of an odd time to announce this what one game into the season? And didn't we already know this at the back end of last season anyhow (when the tigers were looking at replacements for him like Martyn Thomas)?

Yes we already knew - especially as he has apparently been offered a coaching position within the academy for the end of the season.

It's a nothing story really. He is often interviewed by Radio Leicester as Tigers captain. Would have gone summat like:

Interviewer: Geordan, you getting old, planning to retire?
Murphy: Jaysus, would you listen to yourself........

And as the man himself is quoted

It's planned to be my last contracted year.
If I feel I can continue playing then I will be baying Cockers [Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill] for another contract, but if it's time to go then it's time to go

he told BBC Radio Leicester:

So let the fat lady sing first.

A great player who has had a great career. One of those players you just don't like seeing on the team sheet!

Tigers have been trying to find competition or a replacement for years but there are just so few full backs that offer what Geordan does. Even though he's aging and his kicks aren't quite as long and his legs not quite as quick that rugby brain is still one of the best going. The Prem's best ever full back.

Golden, if he'd played for England (which under the residency rules he could have, except that he is a proud Irishman) he would have recorded well over a hundred caps of that I have no doubt. EOS's small minded obcession with making Ireland play like Munster (and failing miserably) did Geordan and Ireland no favours.

GunsGerms, perhaps he's a bit small but with that brain and those skills he was always going to make it. He had serious wheels when he was young as well. George Ford is of a similar build and he looks like he will make it.

I think Murphy is still a terrific player. Where he may have lost a step, he more than makes up for it with his experience and knowledge. He could be on my team anytime. Just watch this season and he will pop up from time to time on the highlights.

Sam, EOS did not try to get Ireland playing like Munster. It was quite the opposite. A very backs oriented game. He just came to trust Dempsey more than Murphy. Which I didn't agree with.

I loved watching him play. He was brilliant, swashbuckling and inspiring in his prime. I was so frustrated at EOS for obsessing over his defensive mistakes and picking Dempsey (who was also very good to be fair). Murphy brought so much to the attack. He also linked really well with O'Driscoll, Horgan and Hickie. Such an intelligient set of outside backs. Great to watch.

Shame his international career probably didn't live up to potential. But he had a great Tigers career.

The broken leg just as he finally seemed to be first choice did not help

I've said it before, Murphy was one of my Favourite Irish players.

Was disappointed that he missed WC 2003, with the leg break.

But people think he didn't get as many caps becuase he was in England, I think it was Dempesy was slightly more defensive, and with a half back pairing of stringer and ROG (can't tackle, and even worse tackling)
you will go with the more defensive fullback.

Great player and a credit to Leicester, and the way that they creating a good club atmostsphere, that they were able to keep him his entire career, as I'm sure if it was any other club but Tigers, he would have returned home to Ireland at end of his first contract.

Such a classy player.

Kingshu wrote:Great player and a credit to Leicester, and the way that they creating a good club atmostsphere, that they were able to keep him his entire career, as I'm sure if it was any other club but Tigers, he would have returned home to Ireland at end of his first contract.

It was the Leicester women that kept him here.

I don't know...but I hate the metaphor 'silverware'. It's a real footballing term that I detest - players wanting to have more silverware. What are these guys - magpies?

Why don't they just say 'titles' - "I would love more titles", "I would love to win the Premiership one more time". The thoughts of hard sporting men chasing after 'silverware' ...well, it just seems wrong.

Maybe my fault is that I can't help picturing their homes and imagining a garishly carved mahognany cabinet that is stuffed crassly with silver cups and medalions, and spoons, and thimbles, and little figurines, and swans, and ducks, and dogs and............. well you get the message.

Did Usain Bolt come to the Olympics with the intention of getting more 'Goldware' for his cabinets? Nope, he came to reclaim a title or two. Titles are for sport, silverware is for tacky interior decorating

Rant over

SecretFly wrote:I don't know...but I hate the metaphor 'silverware'. It's a real footballing term that I detest - players wanting to have more silverware. What are these guys - magpies?

Why don't they just say 'titles' - "I would love more titles", "I would love to win the Premiership one more time". The thoughts of hard sporting men chasing after 'silverware' ...well, it just seems wrong.

Maybe my fault is that I can't help picturing their homes and imagining a garishly carved mahognany cabinet that is stuffed crassly with silver cups and medalions, and spoons, and thimbles, and little figurines, and swans, and ducks, and dogs and............. well you get the message.

Did Usain Bolt come to the Olympics with the intention of getting more 'Goldware' for his cabinets? Nope, he came to reclaim a title or two. Titles are for sport, silverware is for tacky interior decorating

Rant over

What like 'Duke for the Up and Under', 'Sire of the sidestep' etc?

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

SecretFly wrote:I don't know...but I hate the metaphor 'silverware'. It's a real footballing term that I detest - players wanting to have more silverware. What are these guys - magpies?

Why don't they just say 'titles' - "I would love more titles", "I would love to win the Premiership one more time". The thoughts of hard sporting men chasing after 'silverware' ...well, it just seems wrong.

Maybe my fault is that I can't help picturing their homes and imagining a garishly carved mahognany cabinet that is stuffed crassly with silver cups and medalions, and spoons, and thimbles, and little figurines, and swans, and ducks, and dogs and............. well you get the message.

Did Usain Bolt come to the Olympics with the intention of getting more 'Goldware' for his cabinets? Nope, he came to reclaim a title or two. Titles are for sport, silverware is for tacky interior decorating

Rant over

What like 'Duke for the Up and Under', 'Sire of the sidestep' etc?

Yeah...now you're getting it, Scarlet! Unkempt Fuzzy Head of the Decade might be another title he'd win.

SecretFly wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

SecretFly wrote:I don't know...but I hate the metaphor 'silverware'. It's a real footballing term that I detest - players wanting to have more silverware. What are these guys - magpies?

Why don't they just say 'titles' - "I would love more titles", "I would love to win the Premiership one more time". The thoughts of hard sporting men chasing after 'silverware' ...well, it just seems wrong.

Maybe my fault is that I can't help picturing their homes and imagining a garishly carved mahognany cabinet that is stuffed crassly with silver cups and medalions, and spoons, and thimbles, and little figurines, and swans, and ducks, and dogs and............. well you get the message.

Did Usain Bolt come to the Olympics with the intention of getting more 'Goldware' for his cabinets? Nope, he came to reclaim a title or two. Titles are for sport, silverware is for tacky interior decorating

Rant over

What like 'Duke for the Up and Under', 'Sire of the sidestep' etc?

Yeah...now you're getting it, Scarlet! Unkempt Fuzzy Head of the Decade might be another title he'd win.

I think silverware is fine, meaning he's wanting to get his hands on a cup and raise it in front of the cheering fans, doing that prob feels better than winning a title bit, to celebrate a major achievement, and raising silverware it what its about.


PS I think that the retirement announchment is well timed, even though it was already know, by doing this now he has provided the squad with some extra motivation win a title this season, not just for themselves, or the club, but for their captain,as this is the last chance he'll get.

Kingshu wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

SecretFly wrote:I don't know...but I hate the metaphor 'silverware'. It's a real footballing term that I detest - players wanting to have more silverware. What are these guys - magpies?

Why don't they just say 'titles' - "I would love more titles", "I would love to win the Premiership one more time". The thoughts of hard sporting men chasing after 'silverware' ...well, it just seems wrong.

Maybe my fault is that I can't help picturing their homes and imagining a garishly carved mahognany cabinet that is stuffed crassly with silver cups and medalions, and spoons, and thimbles, and little figurines, and swans, and ducks, and dogs and............. well you get the message.

Did Usain Bolt come to the Olympics with the intention of getting more 'Goldware' for his cabinets? Nope, he came to reclaim a title or two. Titles are for sport, silverware is for tacky interior decorating

Rant over

What like 'Duke for the Up and Under', 'Sire of the sidestep' etc?

Yeah...now you're getting it, Scarlet! Unkempt Fuzzy Head of the Decade might be another title he'd win.

I think silverware is fine, meaning he's wanting to get his hands on a cup and raise it in front of the cheering fans, doing that prob feels better than winning a title bit, to celebrate a major achievement, and raising silverware it what its about.


PS I think that the retirement announchment is well timed, even though it was already know, by doing this now he has provided the squad with some extra motivation win a title this season, not just for themselves, or the club, but for their captain,as this is the last chance he'll get.

If you assume that this is Geordie's last year KH.

He won't want to retire with his last silverware as the LV Cup.

Classy player and always seemed like a nice bloke. Had a mixed bag international career and didn't quite fit the bill for the solid orthodox full back his national coaches preferred but he's had a marvelous club career for one of the great European clubs so can retire a happy man.

He had an impressive stint in the Lions midweek team in NZ too where he formed an exciting partnership with Shane Williams. 70 plus Irish caps when the likes of Girvan Dempsey and Rob Kearney where around isn't a bad return and he had his moments in an Ireland jersey.

All the best Geordan, thanks for the memories

Sam, EOS did not try to get Ireland playing like Munster. It was quite the opposite. A very backs oriented game. He just came to trust Dempsey more than Murphy. Which I didn't agree with.

Not really, he used to select a good chunk of the Munster pack and then O'Gara and Stringer at 9 and 10 then paste on the rest of the Leinster backline and expect the best of both. All that happened is the backs outside were wasted chasing kicks or living off slow ball from a 10 standing deep. Sort of like England's backs with Farrell playing 10.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Sam, EOS did not try to get Ireland playing like Munster. It was quite the opposite. A very backs oriented game. He just came to trust Dempsey more than Murphy. Which I didn't agree with.

Not really, he used to select a good chunk of the Munster pack and then O'Gara and Stringer at 9 and 10 then paste on the rest of the Leinster backline and expect the best of both. All that happened is the backs outside were wasted chasing kicks or living off slow ball from a 10 standing deep. Sort of like England's backs with Farrell playing 10.

The personel in the pack were nearly all Munster. But they didn't play the forward oriented physical domination game that Munster played. What you've said there is really complete nonsense to be honest. But if that's what you think I can't really say anything except maybe ask you to re-watch the Ireland games from that period. Stringer got the ball out quick. ROG could kick the corners brilliantly. But he could and would also stand flat, pass quickly and accurately and get the backline going.

Well my view from the outside may well be different from your views from within the country. That would hardly be unusual.