Former Liverpool and England footballer Danny Murphy has opened up about his cocaine use following his retirement.
The 47-year-old has had a successful career Red ArmyWon the FA Cup and UEFA Cup before playing for Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.
The midfielder retired in 2013 with a total of 417 goals. super league And said he struggled in life without football.
After losing the “adrenaline” to compete at the highest level of sport, he told the Ben Heath Podcast the problems became “huge” and he turned to drugs to “escape reality”.
“How do I deal with problems when I’m not playing football? Because when you’re playing football, the problems aren’t a problem,” he said, referring to things like bills and relationships.
Danny Murphy (centre) played for Liverpool for seven years. Image: PA
“You get a sense of joy and adrenaline that keeps you forward-thinking and energized,” he said.
The former professional added: “When you have problems, without football they become big, like mountains.
“They’re good when you’re playing because you have the money coming in and you’ve got support from everybody and everybody.”
He said that while he didn’t become an alcoholic, he had a bad year with drugs.
“I was hooked on cocaine, smoked some marijuana, and drinks… I could live without it,” he said.
Image: PA
He said he had been addicted to cocaine “for a while”, adding: “I got to the point where I thought I couldn’t do things without it, which is nonsense, of course I can.”
Murphy is now a regular commentator on BBC Sport, including on the fantastic Match of the Day.
He said his media job helped, but didn’t give him the “excitement” of professional football.
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Murphy also said he was “surprised” by how many former players reached out to him after retirement to talk about their struggles.
He said treatment helped him overcome his addiction and believes his experiences have made him a better son, father and partner.
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“Therapy works well…you have to be ready to go deep into therapy, but not everyone is ready because of the emotional rollercoaster you have to go through during therapy,” he said.
Murphy added that after “a year of living through a world of pain,” he now realizes how lucky he is not to have suffered longer after talking to others who have also struggled with addiction.
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