Murray hits out at Hartlepool

admin

Murray was hired to replace outgoing boss Colin Cooper by Pools’ then owners, IOR Ltd, in October 2014, leaving his position as first-team coach at Oldham.

He oversaw just seven matches – with one win, one draw and five defeats – before his contract was terminated.

Speaking to the News & Star, Murray said: “When the job came along I couldn’t turn it down. But I had five league games. Come on, it’s ridiculous.

“I felt I knew what I was going into, but you learn a lot of things. On the surface you think you know people, but you don’t really. I played there for three years but when you really get to know certain people, your opinion can quickly change. I’m a very loyal person and if there had been a bit more of that, it might have been different.

“Trust, integrity…they are massive words for me. I felt they weren’t in abundance.”

During his tenure, Hartlepool struggled in the league, before losing 2-1 to non-league side Blyth Spartans in a televised third-round FA Cup match at Victoria Park.

“The Blyth game was typical,” he added.

“There was stuff said about Alan Shearer going in the Blyth dressing-room to fire them up, but that stuff never bothered me. It was just a case of us being brilliant first half and poor second.

“It’s what happens when players don’t have confidence. Things start creeping in, like doubt. It was a big game, but I don’t think it was a sackable offence. ”

Murray, now part of the coaching staff at Barrow under former Carlisle team-mate Darren Edmondson, added that he had no hard feelings towards Hartlepool, who went on to survive relegation under current manager Ronnie Moore.

“Hartlepool did really well to stay up in the end,” he noted.

“There’s no reason to say I would have done that but I was confident I would have. It helped there were two teams [Tranmere and Cheltenham] below them who couldn’t string any points together.

“I’ve no animosity towards the club, the fans or anything. Well done to them for staying in the league. I’ll just learn a lot from it. I thought I was good at reading people but at certain times you find out what their true colours are.”