English striker Antonio Murray is set to be rewarded for his perseverance by securing a contract with the Brisbane Roar.
Two years after he first attempted to earn a professional contract with Brisbane Roar, English striker Antonio Murray is set to be rewarded for his perseverance by securing the final import spot on Mike Mulvey's roster.
While a deal has yet to be announced, it's believed Murray's prolific goalscoring form for Brisbane City in the Queensland NPL has convinced Mulvey he is worth a punt as understudy to Besart Berisha - at this stage the only genuine no.9 in the Roar squad. Murray, 28, claimed this season's Queensland Golden Boot with 27 goals in 21 appearances for Brisbane City - who were beaten (by Olympic FC) in last weekend's grand final - and has been training with the Roar for several weeks while fulfilling his NPL commitments.
Murray, who's career began at Ipswich Town, hasn't played professionally since 2004, when he had a brief stint with Scottish side Hibernian. After several seasons in non-league football in England, he arrived in Australia in 2011 hoping to win a contract with Brisbane Roar, but his initial trial was ruined by injury.
Murray's second attempt to break into the Hyundai A-League is poised to be more successful, where he is set to fill the club's final visa spot alongside Berisha, Thomas Broich, Henrique and Liam Miller.