“I’m loving it,” Dane Murray determined to make the most of Celtic opportunity

Dane Murray is determined to make the most of his extended run in the Celtic first team after overcoming two serious knee injuries that disrupted his development…

The 23-year-old academy graduate made his fifth consecutive start in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road and is eager to remain part of the team when Celtic face Dundee United.

Speaking to CelticPlayer, Murray expressed his delight at getting regular minutes after spending a significant period of his career on the sidelines.

“I’m loving it.

“You want to play as many minutes as you can, and playing five in a row is nice, but hopefully I can just keep going.

“I’m just keeping my head down and working hard every day, so hopefully it continues.”

Murray’s journey into the Celtic first team has not been straightforward, with two serious knee injuries costing the defender around two years of his career.

However, rather than dwelling on the time he missed, Murray is focused on moving forward and making the most of the opportunities ahead of him.

“It’s almost like not trying to forget about the two years that I missed, but I think a lot of players go through it.

“It’s just about staying focused and thinking about what you can do next.”

As he looks to establish himself at Celtic, Murray has also been benefiting from the experience of fellow defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales.

The youngster explained how he is learning from the experienced trio and highlighted the importance of maintaining high standards on a daily basis.

“I’ve taken a lot from them and I speak to them regularly.

“You’re learning from three international players who have been at this club for a long time and played a lot of games, so I just try and pick their brains.

“I think it’s just every day habits, making sure you’re training well, and then that leads into performing well, hopefully, when it comes to the games.”

Murray is also pleased to see fellow academy graduate Colby Donovan make his mark in the first team and secure a new long-term contract with the club.

The defender believes Donovan deserves the recognition after making an impressive start to his senior career.

“I’m buzzing for him. He deserves it, that’s for sure. He’s started this season really well.

“It’s not been long since he came into first-team football. He’s done brilliantly for himself. I’m really glad, and I’m sure the fans are too, that he’s signed a long-term deal here.”

Murray also sees similarities between Donovan and Kieran Tierney, particularly in their commitment to representing Celtic and the passion they show while wearing the club’s shirt.

“I don’t think Colby would be shy in admitting that he looks up to KT.

“It’s just heart on his sleeve, 100 per cent every time he’s on that pitch wearing the jersey.”

With Celtic looking to build momentum following their win at Easter Road, Murray is now focused on carrying that positive result into the clash with Dundee United at Celtic Park.

Reflecting on the victory over Hibernian, he said:

“It was massive. It was a tough game.

“We’re just glad to get the three points, and I think we can now build on it going into tonight’s game.”