PRESTON North End are hoping Colin Murdock's international class will rub off on the rest of the players.

Defender Murdock played in both Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifiers last week -- taking his tally to seven caps -- and reported back to Deepdale with a clean bill of health.

"It's great to have an established international in the side," said manager David Moyes.

"Colin has played against Denmark and Iceland and it will be a great confidence boost for himself and hopefully it will help us in the coming season.

"We hope to have a few more established internationals here in the future."

One international hoping to be back soon is Icelandic striker Bjarki Gunnlaugsson.

He has yet to start a game this season after suffering from a groin injury sustained in pre season and then, more recently, a hip injury from a reserve game.

"Bjarki is doing some training but is just lacking match practise at the moment. We miss him as he is an intelligent player with some deft touches," admitted the Preston boss.

And Moyes is pleased another international American Brian McBride is recovering after playing just three games in his six month loan spell at Deepdale.

The striker returned home to have an operation on a blood clot on his arm.

"Brian's chirpier. He's seeing a doctor twice a week and I've been speaking to him on the phone.

"It was such a blow after we had waited so long to get him but that's football and you just have to accept it."

Meanwhile, Moyes is relishing the fact his young squad are learning in every game in Division One.

"I think, against Crystal Palace in our last game, we had about four 22/23 year olds and a couple of 24 year olds. I think there was only Mark Rankine touching his 30s. "We know the players are learning every game. Jon Macken, with seven goals, has done very well and I think he is improving but there is more to come from him. He has a lot more development in his all-round game and he has got to keep working hard to continue to progress.

"We are looking forward to building this team and take them on in the future."

And Moyes is hoping the future will also mean a full house at Deepdale.

"That is the aim. It is a big club, a sleeping giant as they say, and some of the fans may have drifted away in the recent past to other clubs but we want to get them back."