Glenn Murray: I had to tell Wilfried Zaha to do less tricks and put crosses in to improve at Crystal Palace

Glenn Murray has revealed how he had to urge Crystal Palace fans’ favourite Wilfried Zaha to cut down on the tricks and produce more end product.

Murray rattled in 31 goals when the Eagles won promotion to the Premier League in 2013.

And he was part of a quality three-man attack with Zaha and Yannick Bolasie ripping full-backs to shreds down either flank.

Zaha’s quality is clear to see in When Eagles Dare, a five-part docuseries which covers that 2012-13 campaign when Palace beat Watford in the Championship play-off final.

The Ivorian was sold to Manchester United in January but the Eagles struck a deal that he stayed in SE25 on loan for the second half of the season.

Murray told the South London Press: “He was that raw talent, just broke on to the scene and all he wanted to do was take people on. He’d take all 10 on and then turn around to try to take them on again. That was his mindset and what he enjoyed doing. But it was the most frustrating thing for me standing in the middle of the box.

“I spoke to Wilfried as he was only young at the time. I wanted to get more end product out of him as the talent was there for everyone to see but he wouldn’t put the ball in at times, he would chop and chop seven or eight times and I’m trying to make a front post run every time he chops.

“I sat him down and said: ‘Wilf you’ve got to start delivering the ball’. I understood his mentality was if he took players on and scored goals he would get noticed and get a bigger move, which is pretty normal for a young lad to think that and it is true to a certain extent.

“I said football people are watching you Wilf. If you cross for me or Yala, football people will realise how well you’re doing. He understood and we built a bit of a bond. I’d look for them and they’d look for me, I got it into my feet, put it into the channel for them and said ‘listen lads, I’ll be in the box’.

“It wasn’t a sitdown formal chat. It was something I tried to instill in him. He can take anyone on, that is not an issue. I’d say to him ‘Wilf ,you’ve got to learn about your opponent. If you’re up against a left-back who gets tight, take him on. After the third time Wilf you’ll realise he’s absolutely shitting his pants and giving you five yards. That’s when he will play it easy as you’ve done the damage already. If he wants to come at you then take him on’. He was just developing then, he was just a baby and an amazing talent.

“I always got so tight to him in training as I was terrified of him embarrassing me. Whether or not they admit it the whole group felt the same. He’d have his back to my goal in five-a-side and I was like this kid is not going to embarrass me. I was like get in there, arm in his back, strong, be a bit rough with him and one turn and he’s the other side of me, i’m like Jesus Christ how he did get there?

“He did get his move to Man Utd and I just feel it was the right place at the wrong time. If [Sir Alex] Ferguson had stayed in charge for two or three more years, he would have been a world star. But unfortunately Ferguson signed him in the January, he got loaned back to us and then he joined when David Moyes took over from the best manager ever at the club.

“It was a stabilisation period and it just wasn’t a good scenario for Wilfried to step into. A player of that ilk who is exciting, takes chances. I think Moyes wanted something more sturdy and secure. He was taken over the hardest job in football. It was the right place at the wrong time and if Ferguson had been in charge longer I really think he would be a major star now.”

When Eagles Dare is on Amazon Prime Video from June 4.