Danny Murphy has opened up on his pet cat Bob – who became an internet sensation during the World Cup – revealing that the whole ordeal was more emotionally turbulent than people realise.
Murphy went viral over the summer when he brought up his missing feline while co-commentating on World Cup matches for the BBC.
Over the course of three tales, he related to the bewildered nation how his former cat, Bob – a beloved British blue shorthair – had gone missing after sneaking inside a Royal Mail van.
They found Bob weeks later, but he returned to the house feral and began fighting with his sister, Mary. Ultimately, Murphy made the heartbreaking decision to rehome Bob with a friend’s parents in Preston.
‘I used to drive in the area every day for about a month to see if I could see him,’ Murphy told Daily Mail Sport.
Danny Murphy has opened up on losing his cat, Bob, in an interview with Daily Mail Sport
Bob, a British blue shorthair, went missing and returned to the house feral, so Murphy had to rehome him
‘The guy showed me where he jumped out the van.
‘God knows why he jumped in the van! The door was open, maybe he smelled something in there. You never know what’s in the back of these Royal Mail vans, do you?
‘Then you’ve got the drama of putting posters out. You’ll be amazed at how many people phone you up and lie to you and give you a load of b******* about where the cat is, and they’ve got the cat, and they want to meet you to get money off you. People don’t really understand.
‘It was a tough one but because it’s a long time ago you get through it and see the funny side.’
Murphy was towards the back end of his career at the time, playing for Tottenham or Fulham, though he can’t remember which.
When they did find Bob, it quickly became clear that keeping him alongside his sister Mary was unsustainable – hence why he had to be turfed out.
‘He was really feral,’ Murphy recalls. ‘He had a sister called Mary who lived with us as well, who he decided to attack and bully every day.
‘There’s no bullying in my household. We had to make the painful decision for him to go.
Murphy recalled losing Bob during a series of World Cup co-commentaries, much to the confusion of the nation
‘He ended up having a great life. I sleep easy about it now.’
The 49-year-old has not had a cat since. ‘I was always more of a dog man,’ he admits.
Murphy was speaking to Daily Mail Sport as he stars in an ad for Paddy Power called ‘Why the football not?’ celebrating everything ridiculous when it comes to being a football fan.
He began his Match of the Day career in 2013 while he was still a player and has since become a regular broadcast fixture, be that on the iconic show, as a eSPORTY pundit, or a co-commentator.
He took up the mic for 14 matches during the World Cup, an intense period which required extensive preparation. He has since taken the chance to unwind on holiday in Greece.
His ITV counterpart Andros Townsend made waves with his diet during the tournament, tucking into raw meat and sardines to keep himself in the best shape. The temptation on away trips is to fall into a rhythm of gluttonous takeaways and fast food.
Murphy sees where his fellow former England star is coming from.
‘I certainly wouldn’t be going to Andros’ lengths!’ he says. ‘Even if I did, I certainly wouldn’t be telling the world about my eating habits.
Murphy says he wouldn’t follow Andros Townsend’s bizarre World Cup diet, but agrees it is important for commentators to stay healthy to perform
‘For the first three or four weeks, I was with the commentator Steve Bower. He’s quite on the fitness buzz so we were always aware of healthy eating.
‘I had good influences. Maybe the odd day we’d let ourselves go and get on the beers and eat a load of c***.
‘Doing big games in the World Cup, you’re trying to stay focused and peak at the right time. Co-commentary is really intense because you’re thinking on your feet – there’s no studio where you can plan your analysis.
‘The night before a game, when you go to a restaurant in a new city, you have no real idea of where is good or not. You stay plain on the food. You’re not just going to go to a Chinese or Indian and say, “fill me up.”
‘There were a couple of examples of commentators who missed games because of dodgy food. We spoke to another team who were in bed for a week!
‘Plain food the night before and decent sleep reflects in your performance, You’re not gettting names wrong or having blanks. In the football media world, co-comms is the hardest thing to do.’
