When Liverpool’s Conor Bradley prepares so as to add to his tally of Northern Eire caps as soon as extra on Tuesday, he’ll be cheered on by his primary fan – Countdown host Colin Murray.
Bradley has received a military of admirers since breaking via at Anfield throughout 2023-24, then scoring his first Northern Eire aim to safe victory towards Scotland at Hampden Park in March.
Murray is certainly one among them – the tv and radio presenter has lengthy been a supporter of each Liverpool and the Northern Eire nationwide crew, and is positively beaming when he speaks to FourFourTwo concerning the 20-year-old prospect.
“As a Northern Irishman, we had Brendan Rodgers as supervisor, Jim Magilton performed for Liverpool for a bit and there was a man known as Sammy Smith again in like 1925, however there have been so few different gamers,” Murray says.
“When Bradley broke via for Liverpool, I can’t inform you what it was like. I’ve by no means met him, but it surely’s simply unbelievable for me to have a participant like that – I by no means need him to depart Liverpool.
“David Healy was at Manchester United and left, so it doesn’t imply that as a result of Bradley is there now, he’s going to be there in two or three years, however I actually hope he fulfils his potential. I really like him.”
Northern Eire face Andorra on Tuesday night time, with Bradley set so as to add to the 16 caps he’s already amassed since his senior worldwide debut in 2021.
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Some are already tipping him to develop into a legend – Northern Irish boxer Carl Frampton claimed that Bradley might develop into the nation’s highest profile footballer after George Greatest, which was some reward, contemplating the likes of Pat Jennings have additionally represented the nationwide crew.
After changing into a daily within the Liverpool aspect, damage meant that Bradley didn’t begin the ultimate six Premier League video games of the Reds’ season, permitting Trent Alexander-Arnold to return to health and return to the aspect at right-back.
Alexander-Arnold’s seniority means his place within the aspect is rarely prone to be doubtful, however the 25-year-old may play in midfield, and Murray would like to see the duo in the identical line-up subsequent season.
“I really like Trent as properly, and I’d have Trent in central midfield anyway,” he mentioned – even earlier than Bradley’s emergence, there had been a debate about Alexander-Arnold’s finest place.
“Watching Bradley has been an absolute pleasure. I’d like to have a Liverpool and Northern Eire joint legend – no offence to Jim Magilton, however you weren’t at Liverpool lengthy sufficient for me to rely you as that.
“I’d like to see somebody of Jamie Carragher’s stature from Northern Eire at Liverpool, that will be a soccer dream for me. I’m so proud watching Bradley, I can’t inform you what a Liverpool and Northern Eire fan feels watching him.
“My coronary heart is in my mouth each sport, I need him to be the most effective there’s ever been. I get actually giddy after I speak about it, so I hope he doesn’t f***ing go to United in the future!”
Murray was talking as a part of the launch of his new sports activities podcast, The whole lot To Play For, with comic Elis James.
In affiliation with international podcast firm Wondery, the primary season begins on Monday, and tells the in-depth story of Wayne Rooney’s emergence within the England crew, together with his starring position at Euro 2004, twenty years in the past.
“I feel Wondery needed to do one thing with Elis James, then they needed to work out who was going to be the Tempo to his Hale, the Debbie McGee to his Paul Daniels,” Murray chuckles.
“Elis and I are each actually nerdy about our sport. We’re followers first, and we make one another chortle, however we love getting deep into an excellent story.
“The primary season is about Wayne Rooney’s England profession and appears via his performances at main tournaments – additionally going again via the stuff that was written about him that kind of plagued him, a few of which was fully false.
“Later we’ve bought Wenger versus Ferguson – going again to issues like when Arsene Wenger was smoking on the bench in a tracksuit. We glance on him because the professor who revolutionised soccer – you return three years earlier than that and he was smoking a fag!
“It’s for individuals who like fun but in addition need to hear past the headline of a narrative. It’s the 2 of us primarily speaking b*****ks, however with a little bit of construction!”
The whole lot To Play For: Wayne Rooney from Wondery, launches in every single place from immediately, with all episodes to binge on Wondery+. Go to wondery.com/exhibits/everything-to-play-for
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