Simon Murray says a Scotland call-up would be the “pinnacle” of his career after moving level at the top of the Premiership scoring chart.
Murray scored both goals as Dundee beat St Mirren at Dens Park to join Celtic’s Daizen Maeda on 15 league goals.
He’s now on 21 goals for the season in all competitions and with that goal return has come questions for national team boss Steve Clarke for his next squad in June.
Now, though, Murray is concentrating on ensuring Dundee remain in the top-flight as he chases down the top goalscorer mantle.
“It’s good to be competing,” Murray said.
“[Maeda] is obviously a quality player and there’s others up there who have had great seasons, but I think it’s probably my best season in front of goal in the Premiership.
“I’ll just keep going and hopefully he doesn’t score any and I keep scoring!
“To be fair, just keep trying to perform for the team.
“Obviously, the goals are nice. The second one was a bit of luck, but sometimes when you’re in that run of form, you get the wee rub of the green.
“It’s nice to keep going and to maybe hit the 25 mark would be amazing, but I’m just concentrating on being a team player and helping the boys.
“If the goals come, the goals come.”
Chasing club record
The goals also mean Murray has scored in the last six Premiership matches for Dundee.
If he nets against his former side Hibs next week then Murray will match a post-war record for the Dark Blues.
The club’s greatest-ever goalscorer, Alan Gilzean, scored in eight straight games in 1963/64.
However, two of those were cup matches so Murray has gone level with the Dens great in terms of league games.
David Clarkson, meanwhile, went one further. He scored in seven straight league games and then went on to score in his eighth match for the club as well, a Scottish Cup tie against Aberdeen.
Asked if he was aware of that, Murray replied: “Yes, there have been a few things about it and that’s amazing to aim for.
“If I do it, I do it, but I’m just concentrating on playing well and let’s see what happens.”
The club’s all-time record is Johnny Bell in 1920/21, scoring in nine consecutive matches. All were in the league.
‘We are buzzing’
More important for Murray is that Dundee keep their place in the Premiership for next season.
They currently sit 11th in the table but the frontman says the defensive show the Dark Blues put in against the Buddies has only added to the confidence within the camp that they can get out of trouble.
“Against St Mirren I think we showed a real different side. Defensively I thought that was the best we’ve been all season,” Murray added.
“Big Joe, Clark and McGhee, I thought they were really solid against a good team who scored five goals last week. So we are buzzing.
“It wasn’t one of our best performances on the ball, but without the ball I thought we were very good.
“I think we need to look forward now.
“We kept the second clean sheet of the season and we looked really solid.
“Winning 2-0, it just gives you confidence that if you maybe aren’t the best going forward, you’ve got the boys behind you who are experienced and can keep clean sheets.”
Scotland
Manager Tony Docherty reiterated his belief that Dundee’s top scorer should be attracting the interest of Scotland boss Steve Clarke, such is his form.
Murray is the top-scoring Scotsman in the country, netting six more than Aberdeen’s Kevin Nisbet who was in the last squad.
But what does Murray himself think?
“I don’t know, I’ve never been involved,” he said.
“That’s the pinnacle for every Scottish player in their career if they get to the national team.
“It would be a great achievement for me, but I’m just concentrating on myself and obviously whatever happens, happens.”
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