Preston North End deadline day recruit, Josh Murphy, has thoroughly enjoyed his integration into the squad.
The new PNE winger had his first session with his new team-mates on Monday, followed by 45 minutes in Tuesday afternoon’s Central League game with Walsall and he explained how much he had enjoyed it, especially given the weather!
“I have loved it,” he told iFollow PNE. “It was good coming to the training ground and seeing the facilities, because they are pretty outstanding.
“It has been a good 48 hours and it was a nice run out today. I was surprised by the weather, it was super-hot – normally it is raining in these parts! But it was a good run out and something to build on.
“I found the first session really good; the intensity was high, which took me by surprise, but it was really nice to get out there and it is a great bunch of lads, so I am settling in nicely and hopefully there are more exciting times ahead.
“Every player will say that you are nervous going in on your first day, but knowing Greg [Cunningham] and knowing Dec [Rudd], it was pretty easy to settle in. Me and Greg get on so well, I love him to bits, he is really nice and I am glad that I am back at a club with him.”
It was his first chance to experience his former Norwich City coach Frankie McAvoy as the man in the top job, so how did he find that experience? “It was different, because back at Norwich I was used to him being the first team coach, but it has been really good.
“I had a really good chat with him yesterday about the style of play moving forward, so it is all positive stuff for the future.”
The reserves clash with Walsall allowed him to show what he is likely to bring to the squad in the coming season, looking a constant thorn in the Saddlers back line, and he explains that this is the first step to gaining full match sharpness.
“The quicker I can get settled in, I can get used to the boys and they can get used to me, the better it will be,” he continued. “I had my first session yesterday and a game today and so that’s the ice broken; it is now about solidifying those connections with players.
“There were a couple of things going on, on the pitch today, where we weren’t on the same wavelength, but that will come and I really enjoyed that 45 minutes and hopefully I can build on that.
“I am not match fit at the moment; I haven’t had any football in the last couple of months, so it is about getting that fitness and that sharpness and once I have that, I will be raring to go. It is all about building the fitness at the moment and building and hopefully I can be match fit soon.
“The sooner I can be in the first team the better, so it is all about training well, getting into the manager’s thoughts and I am excited. I am here to work hard; I will give it my all and as long as I do that, everything should work out well.”
The game was played in front of a good crowd at Euxton and the welcome the supporters have given the loanee is something he says will be a big boost to him going forward.
“I have had a really nice welcome from the fans. Football is for the fans and the last year and a half – with the pandemic – has been a nightmare, so to see them here today was good and I am looking forward to building a relationship with them.
“My welcome has been really good and I thrive off the love of the fans and if they are spurring me on, that gives me that extra ten per cent, so hopefully that can come. I am excited to get to Deepdale and get to meet everybody,” he added.
You can watch the full interview with the attacker by clicking on the video link at the top of the page.