WEEKS of speculation have finally ended with Matt Gray named senior coach of Murray United.
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The newly formed NPL club yesterday confirmed the English playmaker would take the reins, with Josh Fluss coming from Melrose to take over as goalkeeper coach.
Gray has been an influential part of Twin City Wanderers where he was captain and missed out on being named the Albury Wodonga Football Association’s star player by one vote.
He said the opportunity to be Murray United’s first senior coach was a “brilliant” opportunity.
“It’s been a process that’s gone on quite a while now and I’m over the moon that the board has put their confidence in me to take the club forward in their first year,” Gray said.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of people and they’re looking forward to supporting the club and looking forward to coming down and being a part of it.”
Gray said Murray United’s entry into the NPL would provide pathways for the Border’s future stars into the national competition.
“It’s going to be great for the area and another sport people can get behind on a state level,” he said.
“It’s going to be a massive step up for some people — I think people don’t realise that the step up from the AWFA to the NPL is quite big.
“You’re going from almost an amateur competition to a semi-professional and professional environment.
“But it’s a fantastic step for players trying to push themselves to get to a higher level — even to put themselves into the shop window for the A-League.
“It gives them a pathway which probably hasn’t been there in the past, just to get themselves noticed.”
There’s a big task ahead for Gray.
But he has plenty of experience behind him, having come up through the Premier League’s Chelsea and Fulhum academy ranks and played for Woking in the Conference.
Last year he coached a young Shepparton outfit to the grand final.
“I pride myself on getting the best out of individuals and helping young players through with my experience,” Gray said.
“The club wants to be competitive too, they don’t want to set all this up to be a laughing stock.
“And I’m the kind of person who wants to go into everything and be successful at whatever I do — so even if it’s the club’s first season I want to push my players and push myself.”
Murray United’s technical director Paul Millynn said the club was excited by the new appointments.