Ian Murray: My heart won’t be broken if I miss out on cup final

IN TRUTH, it will probably break his heart.But Ian Murray insisted today that if he is left out of the Cup Final line-up he will be too busy being disappointed for those around him who also miss out to be concerned with his own heartache.

Murray declared himself back to full fitness for Hibs last month following a lengthy lay-off with a hip injury and has been given only a few minutes of game time from the bench since then.

The player himself knows that he is again likely to be sitting on the bench when his side play one of the biggest games in their history, against rivals Hearts in the Scottish Cup final next weekend.

The 31-year-old and his family are all Hibs supporters, but, while he would love to be part of the starting line-up at Hampden, he insisted that he would much rather be picked on merit than sentiment.

Murray said: “There is loads of stuff in my career that I have missed out on – or been lucky enough to be part of.

“It’s maybe because I am getting that bit older, but I don’t get too worked up about things, to be honest.

“I would rather be picked on merit rather than anything else. If I am not going to be involved, I will probably be more disappointed for other people around me.

“I can deal with it and move on. I have been in these kind of positions before because I was injured before the League Cup final against Livingston, too, although it was maybe a bit different because it was in the middle of the season and this is the end of the season.

“It does feel a bit strange, but you have got to look past that. I have got a very small chance [of being picked]. I am not expecting massive changes to the gaffer’s team – I don’t think anyone is.

“I have been injured for so long – I’ve been out for a six months – but I am available, so I wouldn’t rule myself out.”

Murray conceded that it would be even worse watching the match from the sidelines than it would be playing in it, but he reckons that he’ll still be able to enjoy the occasion – if Hibs win.

“It will be worse for me if I have to sit and watch the game – it is much more nervous watching than it is playing. I have let myself wander off into dream land and I don’t think I would settle until we were three nothing up with five minutes to go!

“You would always be thinking in the back of your head that they have time to make it up. But I think it will be a tight game, a really tight game.

“People can get injured or sent off, so there is still a lot can happen in a week.

“It is very harsh. Football can be a cruel world: you can be there one minute and gone the next. That is just the way of the world and everyone is the same.

“If we win it is going to be a fantastic day for everyone and the fact that you are a Hibs fan seeing the achievement of your side finally winning the cup.

“If we lose then we will all go away on our holidays and when we get back out on the pitch try and put it behind us.

“I will still be able to enjoy the day. It’s difficult to explain to people, but, if I had been somewhere else then maybe it would be difficult to motivate yourself, but the fact that I am at Hibs and it is a Hibs versus Hearts game makes it a really exciting day for everyone.”