Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy says he struggled with cocaine addiction after his career ended while struggling with the transition to retirement.
Murphy, who now works as a broadcaster for the sport, said on Ben Heath’s podcast: “When you don’t have football, the disruptions are huge.
“When you play football, the adrenaline and dopamine, all those things keep you going and energized.
“I was doing cocaine and smoking marijuana. Maybe I’ll live without this drink. He was not an alcoholic. I can be in a space with alcohol and not drink it. “
Murphy played for Fulham, Tottenham, Charlton Athletic and Blackburn Rovers, as well as Liverpool in the Premier League, scoring 50 goals in 417 appearances. That time he won nine caps for England.
“For a while I was [addicted to cocaine],” he said when asked about his drug use. “It got to the point where I thought I couldn’t do things without him. Which is absurd, of course I can.
“You get there at the beginning, you can do it once a week, twice a week, take a third day. Over time, it builds up and takes over you. “
Murphy retired in 2013 and said he received assistance in 2017, which he said added “a preference for being older than I didn’t have before. “
He also warned that, despite progress being made in the post-career recommendation to footballers, retirement is still a problem.
“I felt a deep sense of despair,” Murphy said. There’s a lot more support available now, but we’ll never be able to get a security system. “