‘I was possibly better than him at Norwich’: Portsmouth's Josh Murphy on brotherly love and why brilliant Newcastle late bloomer Jacob is his footballing role model
Jacob Murphy created Newcastle’s winning goal over Liverpool in March’s Carabao Cup final
For the enlightened, the Murphy identical twins are helpfully distinguishable through unique facial blemishes.
While the elder by two minutes Josh possesses a scar on his left eyebrow, Newcastle United’s Jacob is afflicted with a deep mark in the centre of his forehead.
Their footballing pathways have differed considerably since leaving Norwich within a season of each other in separate multi-million pound moves to the Premier League.
Yet the duo share the common characteristic of being late bloomers in the game, having in recent years finally begun to fulfil prodigious talent.
Jacob has just registered his best season for the Toon since joining from the Canaries in July 2017, posting his most starting appearances in a top-flight campaign.
With 41 outings, nine goals and 14 assists, including creating Alexander Isak’s match-winner in March’s Carabao Cup final triumph over Liverpool, understandably his name has been linked to potential England recognition.
As for Josh, an outstanding maiden Fratton Park season earned him 12 individual awards, including The News/Sports Mail’s Player of the Season.
And the classy 30-year-old admits his brother’s remarkable St James’ Park transformation serves as an inspiration to his own late blossoming career.
Josh Murphy: ‘Jacob wasn’t really a fan favourite at Newcastle three years ago’
The Blues’ left winger told The News: ‘Jacob is probably a bit similar to me - a late developer - and he’s been amazing. I’m watching him do so well and am just trying to follow in his footsteps.
‘We are similar sorts of players, so if he’s doing that at Premier League level, there is no reason why I should be able to do it as well. He’s a good role model, even though he is two minutes younger!
‘I was possibly the better out of us at Norwich, I was in the first-team before him. Everyone has different career paths, some burst onto the scene and might fade, some burst onto the scene and stay great their whole career.
‘Back then at Norwich, I was on the left wing and he was on the right wing. We would get told off quite a lot as we’d only pass to each other. Obviously we had a good connection.
‘Our understanding was more telepathic, one would drop deep, get it, while the other was on their bike running in behind. One long ball and most of the time it ended up in the goal. If one of us was scoring or assisting then everyone was happy.
‘Jacob is a different kind of winger to me, though, the ultimate team player. He would sacrifice himself, carry out a lot of defending, just so Anthony Gordon can do a lot of the attacking to get the goals for the team. They both complement each other so well.
‘He loves working hard - as do I - but we have different skillsets. That’s his role in the team, he is super reliable, he can play so many different positions.
‘He plays right wing, but if there’s an injury at right-back then the manager will put him there or right wing-back. I don’t think our manager would put me there! He’s so reliable, he can do everything, he can score, he can assist, he can defend.
‘I guess it’s sometimes getting that lucky break which everyone needs in football. Obviously you get it with hard work and just keep plugging away but, ultimately, you have to take the opportunity when it comes.
‘You would probably say that, over the last 18-months to two years, Jacob has been incredible for Newcastle. It is testament to his hard work, not giving up.
‘People may have forgotten that probably three years ago he was out in the cold, not really a fan favourite. Now he’s one of the first names on the team sheet. It’s about hard work, being resilient and never giving up.’
First-team debuts for Norwich in 2013-14
The Murphy brothers joined Norwich’s youth set-up at under-12 level in 2006 and progressed to first-team level.
Josh marked his debut with a goal after coming off the bench in a Capital One Cup 3-2 victory at Watford in September 2013.
It would take another three-and-a-half months before Jacob followed in his footsteps, replacing his brother in the 79th minute of an FA Cup third-round clash with Fulham in January 2014.
Following 42 outings and 10 goals for the Canaries and loan spells with Swindon, Southend, Blackpool, Scunthorpe, Colchester and Coventry, Jacob joined Newcastle in a £12m switch in July 2017.
There were subsequently some testing times for both as they attempted to establish themselves away from East Anglia - now both are flourishing.
‘Every parent can tell their kids apart!’
Josh added: ‘I was born first by two minutes. As we’ve gotten older, we look a little different, but when younger we looked very, very similar.
‘He has a scar on his forehead, while I have a scar on my eyebrow, which is a way to tell us apart.
‘I think every parent can tell their kids apart, though, they never get us mixed up - which is good!’