Ex-Liverpool ace opens up on post-retirement cocaine addiction

Table of Contents

Photo: Getty Images

Former England and Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has spoken openly about his cocaine addiction following his retirement from professional football.

Murphy enjoyed a successful career with Liverpool, winning the FA Cup and UEFA Cup, before playing for Charlton Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Blackburn Rovers.

The former midfielder retired in 2013, having made a total of 417 Premier League appearances.

READ MORE: Eric Dier regrets he didn't do more to help 'special person' Dele Alli

After hanging up his boots after a 20-year professional career, Murphy endured battles with drugs, specifically cocaine.

Asked by Ben Heath Podcast if he was addicted to cocaine, the 47-year-old said:

For a while I was. I got to the point where I thought I couldn't do things without it. Which was nonsense, of course I could.

I had a spell on cocaine and smoking some weed. The drink, I could live without it. I wasn't an alcoholic. I could sit in a house with alcohol and not drink it.

Murphy credited the void left by the end of his playing career as a major factor in his substance abuse.

How do I deal with problems when I haven't got football? Because problems when you play football aren't problems.

When you play football, the adrenaline and dopamine, all these things keep you forward-thinking and energetic.

When you've got issues, without football these issues become huge, they're like mountains.

READ MORE: Ex-Liverpool youth player turned drug lord jailed for 13 years

Murphy, who is now a regular on BBC's Match of the Day and radio station talkSPORT, eventually overcame his addiction which began with therapy.

I had done therapy previously before I had any problems actually when I first stopped playing because I thought it would be beneficial but I didn't stick to out, which I maybe should have done.

Therapy was good. It was good, you have got to be in, you have got to be prepared to go deep and not everyone is, because it's an emotional rollercoaster therapy, it really is, especially if you have had a traumatic life.

There are guys that I have met who have had a lifetime of trauma because of certain addictions and stuff.

I probably had a year of being in a world of pain and they kind of look at me and go, "You know what you should be really grateful you have only had a year." And I'm like, "I'll listen to that I'll take the good."

For any enquiries, please contact us here.