Daryl Murphy

May 21 2010 By Mark Guidi

CELTIC will make a move to sign Daryl Murphy from Sunderland - after the club appoints their new manager.

Record Sport can reveal the Republic of Ireland star - who can play wide left or through the middle - is a s900,000 target for the Hoops.

Despite the fact Celtic have not named their new gaffer a list of signing targets have been compiled with owner Dermot Desmond being kept fully informed.

Murphy was signed by Mick McCarthy in 2005 from Waterford and made an impact.

The player is under contract until the summer of 2012 but lost his place in the team last season when Steve Bruce took over.

Murphy was loaned to Ipswich in February to team up with his former Stadium of Light boss Roy Keane. He would like to sign the player and Reading have declared an interest to Sunderland.

But it's understood the tall and powerful 27-year-old is aware of Celtic's interest and would welcome a move to Parkhead. Neil Lennon is still favourite to land the job and Parkhead sources have indicated Desmond is ready to name the new gaffer next week.

The club have sent out the strongest hintyet that Lennon will have a major part to play next season - byinviting him to tour Britain and Ireland with chief executive PeterLawwell to outline their vision of their future to fans.

Although the interim boss has yet to hear ifhe's to land the job it's unthinkable he would be invited to such ahigh-profile tour if the club were not keen to retain his services insome capacity.

Meetings

The Celtic Trust will host the first of theseries of meetings a week today at St Michael's Chapel Hall in the eastend of Glasgow before the pair embark on a mini-tour.

The initiative was suggested by Trustmembers in a bid to clear the air and a statement on the Celtic Trust'swebsite read: "Some of you may have seen a suggestion from the Trustrecently that one way to stave off the expected decline inseason-ticket sales would be for Neil Lennon to go and spell out hisvision to the support and ask for their backing for next season .

"We are delighted to announce this idea hasbeen taken up by Celtic. Celtic have decided the chief executive PeterLawwell and the current manager. Neil Lennon will embark on a series ofmeetings with supporters across Scotland, Ireland and England.

"The Celtic Trust has been asked to host thefirst of these meetings ... and the format of the meeting will be apresentation by Peter Lawwell and Neil Lennon followed by somequestions from the Trust and thereafter the meeting will be thrown opento questions from the floor.

"This is an excel lent initiative and the Trust is very happy to support it.

"This is an opportunity for supporters toget behind the club and to be part of the process of rebuilding theclub and the team to the point where Celtic Park becomes a place to befeared for our opponents and a place for us to have a right good time.

"But our support is not to be taken forgranted. The club must recognise that we have more to contribute thanjust our cash. We have ideas, we have imagination and we have totalcommitment."

If he can score goals in the championchip then he can definitely score goals in the SPL.

He's a striker but yeah I don't know if he would get too much game time at Celtic. Although he is big and powerful and it's kind of what you need when you play in a scrappy league

He seemed to do well enough at Ipswich and it seems like Lenny might be getting the job, which I would fully support.

Citizen wrote: never got a fair crack for ireland imo, far better option than best up front, i have a feeling we will not be seeing much of best in the next campaign

FREEWHEELER wrote: Citizen wrote: never got a fair crack for ireland imo, far better option than best up front, i have a feeling we will not be seeing much of best in the next campaign   Agree Citizen, I don't rate Best at all.

Good point, neither do I tbh.

i think he'd be capable of getting a good few goals. would like to see celtic try and get stokes tho. the man is really bangin em in. already had a season in scotland. murphy might not hit the ground running. if celtic manage to get stephen reid, jimmy bullard, stokes/murphy and a central defender, it will bring up their chances of success significantly for next season. only problem is reid and bullard are very injury prone so it is a big risk

sniffybumbum wrote: I think he'll actually prosper in the SPL, considering the generous defences at most SPL clubs. Sure, not a wonder-signing, but as good if not better than the signings of Camara, Fortune and VofH in recent years IMHO

sniffybumbum wrote: I think he'll actually prosper in the SPL, considering the generous defences at most SPL clubs. Sure, not a wonder-signing, but as good if not better than the signings of Camara, Fortune and VofH in recent years IMHO

VofH did very well in the first couple of years at Celtic. Again injury took its toll etc..