PMA - Secret To Success

Not that long ago, any football player confessing to having employed the services of of not only a psychologist, but also a hypnotist may have been marked down as a candidate for the next David Icke.

Particularly if it was a goalkeeper.

But Matt Murray has no qualms about confessing to doing such a thing to ensure he stays fit.

Both mentally, and physically.

'It sounds really deep and I know a lot of people are really sceptical but it works for me and a lot of the lads who were sceptical have found it works for them as well.' he told The Birmingham Mail.

England was relatively slow in picking up on the benefits of such holistic approaches to all-round fitness.

American athletes in particular, frequently stole a march on their opponents by using techniques developed in the analysts chair rather than on the training ground.

'It's everything, right through from actually hypnotising you to just relaxing you or giving you little routines before a game when certain things come into your head.' Matt went on.

'I'd never have thought of getting hypnotized, but when we did it, and all the things I was worried about stopped happening, it was incredible.

'And if you get nervous he would say something that switch it off and calm your breathing down and suggest things you can do to help you focus before a game. For me he is just a massive massive help.'

As is having a fully fit Matt Murray back in the Wanderers starting 11.

A shining star of his generation, until succesive injuries forced him to sit out the best part of 3 seasons, including Wolves one and only in The Premiership.

A place Matt was in no small part responsible for. Indeed, many still ask 'what might have been?' had he managed even half a season in that ultimately doomed campaign.

In that time there have been constant doubts about his durabillity, perhaps understandable given his track record for false starts on the comeback trail.

But he also revealed that rather than physical weakness, it has been a desire to get back into action, maybe a bit too much, that has sat at the heart of the problem.

'I think over-training has been a problem in the past.

'People would be telling me I'd done enough but in my head I'd think I hadn't and I'd find it very hard to stop.

'I was just getting obsessive about it, going home and doing weights, I just couldn't switch off.

'All my injuries have been over-usage really, touch wood, I've never really had an impact injury that has put me out for a long time.

'Everything has been stress fractures of my foot, cruciate or tendonitis, it's all been over-usage with my body growing so I've learned from it eventually.

'In fact one of the first things the gaffer said to me was to do with my training..

'I'd had the thing on my foot before the Villa game and the following Friday I was taking a few crosses before Plymouth.

'I hadn't trained all week and didn't think I was going to play but just in case I was doing a bit and had only taken a couple.

'The gaffer told me I'd taken three great crosses and that was it, time to finish.

'I said 'really?' and he asked me what I wanted to do ? train 46 weeks or play the 46 games.'

46 games will do just nicely Matt.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.