“I was definitely nervous” – Michael Murphy opens up on transition from player to pundit

Lee Costello

“I told BBC and GAAGO that that’s not going to be me.”

Michael Murphy has opened up on his transition from being an inter-county player to a pundit, and how he was “nervous” to begin with.

The Donegal star shocked everyone when he retired last season, seemingly at the peak of his powers, but the full forward said that he simply just couldn’t commit again.

Donegal’s loss was the viewers benefit however, as Murphy has made the transition from player to pundit and gives a very interesting take on his journey into that role, and more specifically, what kind of voice he wanted to be.

The former county captain spoke to SportsJOE ahead of Sunday’s Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland minor football final between Derry and Monaghan

“I was definitely nervous to begin with. I wanted to get back to watching games, I enjoy watching games, and trying to pin out things and flows, and I don’t know if I’m much cop or any good at it”, Murphy

“I knew myself that I wasn’t going to be somebody who would be going into games and flippantly throwing sentences off the wall and ridiculing players to get soundbites, I knew that wasn’t me, and I told BBC and GAAGO that that’s not going to be me.

“If that’s the way they wanted to go then find somebody who wanted to do that, and I’m totally content with that, but I have enjoyed it.

“The two crews in both of them has been really really good, it’s good to watch from a different angle and learn things from Óisin McConville or Mickey Harte.

Pictured is former Donegal Minor footballer, Michael Murphy, as he looks ahead to this Sunday’s Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Final between Derry and Monaghan, throwing in at 1pm in Box IT, Armagh.

“It’s intriguing to see the way that they view games and look at games – sometimes when you’re in a n inter-county circle you become really entrenched with it in a small cohort of a group, and maybe become insular in a way.

“So it’s been nice to kind of broaden that horizon again, and just listen to others opinions and that, I don’t agree with them always, but even to hear other options and be kind of receptive to them is good because I found myself in an inter-county circle just very insular and stuck in your ways in your group that’s around you.

“Even the crew behind the scenes, how they look at things was interesting.”