Interview

More about Ronnie’s “World Championship Quotes”

Monique Interview ,

Hector Nunns on inside-snooker came back on Ronnie’s suggestion that the World Championship should be shortened and added Barry Hearn’s reaction to those suggestions

‘THOSE’ O’SULLIVAN CRUCIBLE VIEWS…AND REACTION

Hector Nunns February 6, 2016

Ronnie O’Sullivan, who jetted in to Berlin to take up German Masters TV studio duties on Friday night, caused a stir this week with some strong views about the world championship format.

So let’s have a quick recap of what O’Sullivan actually said, before taking in some alternative player views and then hearing from the man that really matters on the subject – World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn, who has the power to make such things happen or quietly disappear.

O’Sullivan is a huge fan of the Masters format, and also by his own admission no lover of the 17 days a player must spend in Sheffield to win a world championship – this despite the fact he has managed it five times, including in the past four seasons two titles and one further Crucible final.

A combination of these two factors led him to call for radical change in the format of the blue-riband event, primarily slashing the number of days over which it is played by cutting the match distances. Currently these, of course, stand at best-of-19, two best-of-25s, a best-of-33 semi-final and a best-of-35 final.

He said: “I am not really looking forward to playing at Sheffield to be honest. For me it goes on far too long, and I am not sure yet how I will approach that tournament. It is a very long time, longer than the Olympics for 32 players as people know.

“First and foremost it is a lot of table time. You have a best of 19 frame match, two best of 25s, a best of 33 and a best of 35 to win.

“The final is over two long days of four sessions, and the semi-finals over three days. The darts World Championship final is over in two and a half hours.

“I honestly think the world final could be played over the best of 17 frames, first to nine, and have it all done in one day.

“Who needs to play a best-of-25 frame match in the last 16, or one opponent over three days in the semis or even earlier rounds?

“I don’t like it, even though I have won it five times it is my worst tournament over 17 days, it goes on and on and on.

“And every time I have own it I have felt a huge sense of relief, and just been glad it was over rather than pure joy. The Masters is the perfect tournament, that’s the model for all the big events.

“The worlds could be best of 11s, maybe best of 13s for the semis and best of 17 for the final. That is plenty, more than enough.

“For me it is about enjoying playing now, and Sheffield is one of the events I least like playing in – but of course it is our world championship.

“I would enjoy it more going on a tour of Asia or something. I’m sure I won’t and will be there, but that’s how I really feel and don’t look forward to it. That said, it is what it is and you have to get on with it while it has this format.”

The story provoked some fairly predictable howls of derision from the die-hards, and some interesting input from players – hardly any of whom agreed with O’Sullivan.

Just as examples Jimmy White, a close friend of the Rocket and a six-time Crucible runner-up, said: “I don’t think the best player would emerge winning it if you had best-of-11 frame matches. It should stay as it is.”

Former world champion Neil Robertson was also against any radical reform, but did see scope for some minor tweaking of the semi-finals and final, currently played over a total of 12 sessions and five days. This, he felt, could be reduced perhaps trimming a couple of days of the event while still providing a stern test and producing a worthy winner.

The Australian said: “I really like the best-of-25s, they throw up some great games over a distance we don’t get to play. So I would leave it as it is up to the semi-finals, but make them best-of-25 too, and then the final best-of-29, or first to 15. That would be fine.

“As a whole it does go on a bit too long, maybe at the expenses of quality. I would also like to see a bigger break between the semis and the final. I do think there is a problem with the semi-finals and the final, you can get to the final exhausted and it just isn’t necessary for it to be that long.”

So realistically what are the prospects for any alteration in the short or medium term? Speaking to Hearn, it would appear virtually none with the supremo minded to preserve the tournament’s unique appeal.

He said: “It is our job to run the sport for all and not for individual players, and do what we think is right. We can’t change formats based on one player’s wishes.

“Some boxers like four-round fights and not championship 12-round contests, they run out of steam. Some tennis players would rather if Wimbledon was one set and not best of five.

“But this isn’t a punch-up in a telephone box, and it is a marathon not a sprint, and that is part of the event’s unique appeal. I will always listen to Ronnie, but that is the position.

“We constantly review tournament formats but the mood at this moment is that it isn’t broken and there is nothing to fix.

“The world championship is the supreme test not just of skill but of endurance and concentration. The longer the slog, the all-round best player emerges victorious.

“It is important that the world championship is set aside from normal events.

“The appeal of the world championship is based on a very difficult format which won’t appeal to everyone, maybe that includes Ronnie although he hasn’t done too badly there.

“I am not saying it can’t ever be tweaked slightly but overall we are happy. It is the ultimate test and for the moment that is exactly how it will stay.

“There were changes to the UK Championship and a lot of hard-core traditionalists found that upsetting. That one was responding to broadcaster needs, but the BBC are happy.”

 

Photograph by Monique Limbos

 

Those quotes of course sparkled lots of reactions on the social media, and in the bar in Berlin, as Hector aknowleges, not all negative …

To start with, Ronnie himself took a slightly less extreme view when he discussed the topic with Neal Foulds in Berlin before the QF session:

MissingClip 2016 German Masters: preview of the Judd Trump – Martin Gould

Next here are some reactions from top pros and pundits on twitter:

Neal Foulds (ex world n°3, commentator and pundit)

@nr147 @insidesnooker @DailyMirror the semi- finals can drag a bit. Play 3 sessions and give the finalists the evening off to prep for final

Shaun Murphy (World Champion,  who was adressing other changes as well like the dress code for instance)

Yeah I agree 35 is too long. No need for any match to be over 2 sessions long 

I’d support whatever is deemed the longest possible match over 2 sessions

Ron Florax @CueTracker_Ron

@Magician147 Does that mean you’d want a best of 19 world final?

IMO it needs to be faster, shorter, change in dress code, louder

ben potts @ben4675

@Magician147 in your opinion what does snooker need to make it more attractive to watch? And encourage people to start to play? #lovethegame

Most people I speak to outside the snooker “bubble” want it faster with a more modern dress code

Timo Sacklén @timo_sacklen

@Magician147 Can you please describe how to be faster and also the dress code. I can not see the benefit of 30sec shot clock.

I’m only going off what people say to me all over the world. There’s a very strong move for change

E JONES @wildey_1

@Magician147 absolute crap ….do you seriously think that if you do your so out of touch with what fans want and like to see.

Sports have moved on over time. The only thing that’s changed since the glory days of the 80’s is the carpet colour

Matt @ProSnookerBlog

@Magician147 I must say, for someone who obviously loves snooker, it does shock me how much you want to fundamentally change about the sport

Well as snooker lovers and friends we can agree to disagree 

Matt @ProSnookerBlog

@Magician147 You know me – in the main I think that things are good. I don’t think that the sport needs a radical overhaul right now.

Pretty much I think yes. 

Hurleyyy @Hurlay1

@Magician147 Among the pro’s, Shaun, is the opinion of needing change universal? Surely if the top players want it then thats the way to go?

Neil Robertson (World Champion)

Keep the same format but change semis to best of 25 and final best of 29 then it’s perfect

Judd Trump (UK Champion and World finalist)

@Snookerlegends @Skent26 @ronnieo147 30 we aren’t trying to make people fall asleep here. Let’s make it 20 or 25

So it’s clear to me that whatever outrage it raises in the die-hard traditionalist camp, there is also a rather strong support for changes, coming from the men who actually play it … as opposed to the ones who watch it from their armchair.

Ronnie O’Sullivan says World Snooker Championship should be cut down by half

Monique Interview

Ronnie O’Sullivan says World Snooker Championship should be cut down by HALF

BY HECTOR NUNNS

Ronnie O’Sullivan has savaged the Crucible format – insisting the World Championship could be slashed in half.

The sport’s blue-riband tournament lasts for 17 days – and the champion must win 71 frames in a possible total of 137 played.

The Rocket has lifted the trophy five times but O’Sullivan claims he does not enjoy the event and feels only relief at the end.

And the 40-year-old reckons a worthy winner can be produced in far less time than the current marathon.

Any such move would provoke a storm of protest. When supremo Barry Hearn cut the length of UK Championship matches he was heavily criticised by players.

But O’Sullivan said: “I am not really looking forward to playing at Sheffield, to be honest. For me, it goes on far too long and I am not sure yet how I will approach that tournament.

“It is a very long time — longer than the Olympics.

“First and foremost it is a lot of table time. You have a best of 19 frame match, two best of 25s, a best of 33 and a best of 35 to win.

“The final is over two long days of four sessions, and the semi-finals over three days. The Darts World Championship final is over in two and a half hours.

“I honestly think the world final could be played over the best of 17 frames — first to nine — and have it all done in one day.

“Who needs to play a best-of-25 frame match in the last 16, or one opponent over three days in the semis or even earlier rounds?

“I don’t like it, even though I have won it five times. It is my worst tournament, it goes on and on and on.

“And every time I have won it I have felt a huge sense of relief, and just been glad it was over rather than pure joy.

“The Masters is the perfect tournament, that’s the model for all the big events. The Worlds could be best of 11s, maybe best of 13s for the semis and best of 17 for the final. That is plenty, more than enough.

“For me it is about enjoying playing now, and Sheffield is one of the events I least like playing in – but of course it is our World Championship.

“I would enjoy it more if I went on a tour of Asia or something. I’m sure I won’t and will be there, but that’s how I really feel and don’t look forward to it.

“That said, it is what it is and you have to get on with it while it has this format.”

Things could be worse for O’Sullivan.

When Fred Davis beat Walter Donaldson in the 1948 World Championship final the score was 84 frames to 61!

I’m certain many will disagree with this and I’m one of them … to an extend.

First this is Ronnie not in the best frame of mind. It was plain for all to see at the Masters that his current back problems are weighting on his mind, causing him concerns and anxiety about his future and the state of his game. He hates producing a poor display and can be overly critical of his own performances. Don’t expect any positive interview when he feels low …

Next, it IS true that this is a very long tournament at the end of a long season. During the first week there is a lot of waiting time that the players have to fill the best they can. Many find it hard, especially the older players who have done it all before and have a family.

The second week is relentless snooker and by the time the players reach the final, or even the semi finals they are exhausted. This has often produced one-sided or poor quality matches. Ronnie himself has won his semi final at least three times with a session to spare: the audience then gets an exhibition but they probably feel short changed. This is not what they paid for, and paid quite a lot. We also have had quite a number of anti-climactic finals, poor quality and little suspense, again because a combination of factors: players are emotionally spent and extremely tense because of what is at stake. I’d say that if we look at the last six finals, only two of them were quality: Ronnie v Hawkins because they both played very well and the last one, Bingham v Murphy because it was close and Bingham came back. Some will say that Selby v Ronnie in 2014 was good, but I disagree: it was a match in two halves, with Ronnie dominating a tired Selby on day one, and Selby crushing a flat Ronnie on day two. It made for a good story but it wasn’t a good final.

Also, having been there, all these last six years, you sense that some sessions don’t really get the audience on the edge of their seats, in particular the “middle” sessions of the semi finals and the second session of the final. There is no real tension, there is no result at the end of them (usually), the media room is often half empty…

And finally, I agree that there is no need to play such long matches to find out the best player.  Many predicted that we would have surprise winners at the UK when the format was shortened: it did not happen. Since we have the shorter format winners have been Trump, Selby, Ronnie and Robertson twice …

In the past John Higgins and Neil Robertson – both World Champions – have expressed similar criticisms about the lengths of the World Championship. So it’s not just Ronnie.

 

 

 

Barry Hearn talking Ronnie and the Rack Pack

Monique Interview

 

Barry Hearn: Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan is a throwback to the good old baize

 

Ronnie O’Sullivan celebrates his sixth win at snooker’s Masters following final at Alexandra Palace Action Images

SPORT is sometimes accused of lacking the real characters of yesteryear.

These days with so much at stake, no top sports star would dare be seen swigging a pint or having a crafty cigarette, as some sponsors would drop them like a hot potato.

To a large extent the ‘character’ has been squeezed so much they virtually no longer exist.

That is why I was so pleased to see Ronnie O’Sullivan equal Stephen Hendry’s six Masters titles last week and I’m sure he will set a new record.

I’ll agree with any person who says no one is bigger than the sport they play — but The Rocket gets closer than anyone I have ever known.

Ronnie is one of those rarities in sport — a personality who can play at the highest level and who can still be himself.

His OBE in the New Year’s Honours List was totally justified as he is regarded by many as the most naturally-gifted player in snooker history. A genius.

But with it comes real character.

Ronnie is real a throwback to the times when the stars of the green baize got away with some outrageous behaviour.

For instance the likes of the great Alex Higgins.

His excesses were not only tolerated by the public but celebrated.

If you long for those days of non PC, or if you are simply interested in finding out what it was like back then, the best recommendation I can give you is to go to the BBC’s ‘iPlayer and watch a ‘comedy-drama’ about snooker in the 1980s called Rack Pack.

Take 10 hours out of your life to see this warts-and-all eye-opener.

You might have guessed from the title that the programme lifts the lid on snooker, with the clock turned back to the sport’s glory days of the 1980’s when Jimmy Whirlwind White, Hurricane Higgins and Steve ‘Boring’ Davis were at their pomp

It’s brilliantly produced and acted . . . with comedian Kevin Bishop, who some might remember made his movie debut in Muppet Island, playing me!

James Bailey takes on the role of playing White, Will Merrick is Davis, Luke Treadaway is Higgins and Nichola Burley is Higgins’s wife, Lynn.

All have their lives peeled back to expose, in a show that shocks with its brutal honesty, what really went on.

There are characters and personalities in abundance, actors playing real people who lived life to the full with even their darkest days examined.

The rivalry between Davis and Higgins was intense.

They were as different as chalk and cheese as while Irishman Higgins, the People’s Champion’, took drugs, smoked heavily and drank vodka, Davis was seen sipping pints of milk.

Now Barry, I have a question for you: If this is so great – and I agree it is – why are the players fined whenever they set a foot wrong, or whenever they use  a bit colourful language and some of the PC brigade who are looking for offences everywhere complain?

Serious offences, and in particular match fixing, I agree 100% but … the odd swearing? Using some words – deemed potentially offensive – in the context of an expression that everyone understands doesn’t refer to the actual thing?

Ronnie’s Everest …

Monique Interview ,

Ronnie O’Sullivan admits winning the world title in his 40s would be his ‘Everest’ 

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN is ready to try to scale his greatest peak – a world title in his 40s.

By HECTOR NUNNS

The Rocket equalled Stephen Hendry’s record of six Masters successes with a 10-1 destruction of Barry Hawkins on Sunday, winning an unprecedented 10 frames in a row.

But five-time world champion O’Sullivan, 40, is still two titles shy of his now-retired rival’s prized mark of seven on the greatest stage at the Crucible.

No player has won a world title in their 40s since O’Sullivan’s former mentor Ray Reardon at 45 in 1978.

And O’Sullivan admits lifting the trophy in May would be his ‘Everest’ – and has also thrown down the gauntlet to the next generation to step up and end his era of domination.

Having now won titles in the past 13 months with a broken foot and a bad back, he said: “To win a world title at 40 over 17 days at the Crucible, the difficult bit is the consistency.

“As you get older, you can lose it. Look at even the Masters over eight days. John Higgins, who is 40 like me and is winning titles, had a brilliant match and then went off the boil and went out.

“Keeping that for 17 days is the biggest challenge. It is hard in Sheffield especially when you have won it before, because you know exactly what it involves.

“You ask yourself, ‘Am I ready to climb that mountain?’ You know what you are in for to win and psychologically that can be off-putting.

“But you have to try and win the world championship, if you are a professional snooker player that is the one. It’s like a marathon – you get in there, and you know the rest will be hurting too.

“Sheffield is going to be a different sort of animal, but I’ll try and peak for the worlds. There are only so many tournaments you’ve got in you. As you get towards 40 you’ve got to savour these moments.

“Good players aren’t playing their best against me, I don’t know why that is. Maybe they feel under extra pressure against someone who hasn’t been playing regularly.

“Maybe they show me too much respect – I have done that in the past against Hendry.

“Maybe me, and John Higgins over the past year, have laid down the gauntlet a bit to the others.

“We are waiting for someone young, or two or three, to come through and take it away from us, but it doesn’t seem to be happening.”

Meanwhile Hendry, 47, reckons that some of O’Sullivan’s rivals should be feeling annoyed this morning.

The world number 6 breezed back after an eight-month sabbatical to win a big title, much as he did at the Crucible in 2013.

And when O’Sullivan has had the occasional lull in form, opponents have not taken advantage of it.

Hendry said: “It’s not like he has been on a beach, he has been playing exhibitions.

“If I was one of the other top players I would be disappointed and hurting a bit that he could come back and do that.

“I am talking really about the likes of Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Mark Selby, who probably thought they were favourites to win this. And Ronnie has come along and won it. They will be irritated.”

Mark Williams throws a bombshell

Monique Interview

‘PAY O’SULLIVAN WHATEVER HE WANTS’

January 12, 2016
'PAY O'SULLIVAN WHATEVER HE WANTS'

Mark Williams reckons World Snooker should start paying Ronnie O’Sullivan appearance money to keep him turning up for the big tournaments.

The Rocket is back on the big stage today, taking on Wales’s Williams as he bids for a sixth Dafabet Masters title at Alexandra Palace.

And that comes shortly after another long O’Sullivan sabbatical, with the 40-year-old taking an eight-month break before returning to action at the German Masters qualifiers in December.

Williams, also 40 and with a couple of Masters triumphs of his own, has never hidden his admiration for his long-time rival.

And he insists O’Sullivan’s star quality and box office appeal should see every effort made tempting him into competing while he is still near the top of his game.

Williams, who once went 12 years without beating O’Sullivan in a match of real significance, said: “He could sell out any big venue, he is the only one really. The time we played at the Masters a few years ago was a good match but I lost again – 6-5 I think.

“He hasn’t played much but every player knows in their heart he is the best. He doesn’t even have to be at the top of his game to be the best, that’s how good he is.

“I am one of the ones that appreciates exactly what he is, and what he does for our sport.

“I think World Snooker should do a money deal with him to pay him whatever he wants to appear at tournaments, whatever it costs.

“Every tournament he is in is better for every single player, there is no doubt about that.

“At any venue in the world, and trust me I have played them all, Ronnie turns up and there is a buzz around the place and it will be packed.

“Some players might be jealous or disagree, but in the long run it would be better to pay him what he wants and have him there while he can compete.”

For his own part, Williams has been heartened by his own improved form over the past two years.

He added: “For me, I have played all right the past couple of years. I had fallen down the rankings a bit, into the 20s and 30s, but I have got to quarters, semis and the PTC final against Joe Perry.

“I have been knocking on the door but I don’t get disheartened any more by losses, I just get on with it and I think that has helped me.

“I got back into the top 16 to qualify for this. I can’t say I will win this week, but I might not be a bad outsider bet if I find my game.

“I haven’t won a big one for a few years, probably the German Masters a few years back.

“I got close after beating Ronnie in Chengdu in 2014, losing to Mark Allen 9-8 in a brilliant semi-final, that was the best I had played for years.

“My game is not what it was, but you get for these occasions. Those outside the top-16 and event winners don’t play in a one table set-up often any more.

“There is a lot of playing in Barnsley with 128 players on loads of tables, but the chance of this type of match against Ronnie at the Masters is what you play for.

“It will have been a long time since I played in this set-up with a crowd of almost 2,000 like this.”

Photograph courtesy of Monique Limbos

Ronnie O’Sullivan: ‘I’ve really got the buzz back’

Monique Interview

In our exclusive Q&A, the Rocket discusses the Betway UK Championship and his return to snooker after a nine-month absence

Tom Bowles – 02 December 2015
Ronnie O’Sullivan has not played competitive snooker since the World Championship in April and decided against defending his UK Championship title this year.

O’Sullivan has worked as a pundit for Eurosport throughout the tournament, though, and delivered a significant news line of his own by confirming his return to the sport at the Masters next month.

In an exclusive Q&A with the Betway Insider, the Rocket discusses his role as a broadcaster, what he has missed most about the game and whether there are any regrets about skipping such a prestigious event.

How much have you enjoyed your role as a pundit during the tournament?

ROS: Working with Eurosport as a pundit for the UK Championship has been great – I’ve really enjoyed it.

I’ve always been interested in the media side of sport and I’m enjoying learning something new and seeing how the production side of the tournaments comes together.

Which is harder – playing snooker or live broadcasting?

ROS: They’re just completely different so it’s impossible to compare them, really.

Playing snooker has been my life for so long that it’s second nature to me now.

Broadcasting is new to me and slightly out of the comfort zone but it’s a different kind of pressure to competing in the tournament.

And which is more enjoyable?

ROS: That depends on whether I’m playing well or not. Winning is always fun!

Was it watching this week that made you realised you missed playing?

ROS: It wasn’t anything specific about this week, really.

I always miss snooker when I’m not playing because I enjoy the competitive side of it and challenging myself against the best in the world.

The UK Championship is one of the biggest events in world snooker, so it’s always a pleasure to be involved.

How excited are you to be making your competitive return next month?

ROS: I’m looking forward to getting back on the tour and competing again.

It’s going to be tough because the standard is so high now but I’ve really got the buzz back.

Do you wish you were playing this week? And how do you think you’d have fared if you were?

ROS: I don’t necessarily regret not playing at the moment as it was choice to have a break and also recover from an injury.

If I had played this week it’s hard to predict how I’d have done.

I’ve not been practising as much as I’d like and the general standard of the guys has been so high, but on my day I always back myself against anyone.

You’ve said you’ll play a limited amount of tournaments in the future. Will next year’s UK Championship be one of them?

ROS: I’d like to play the biggest tournaments and the UK Championship is definitely one of them.

It’s one of my favourite tournaments of the year so it would be great to be back again next year trying to win the event.

Today’s interview with Shaamon Hafez

Monique Interview

source BBC Sport

Ronnie O’Sullivan says there is no timescale on when he will return to playing competitive snooker.

O’Sullivan’s last match was at the World Championship in April, where he lost in the quarter-final to eventual winner Stuart Bingham.

Since then, the five-time world champion, 39, has played in amateur tournaments and exhibitions.

“I am reluctant to give up this easy life I have at the moment which is very enjoyable,” he told BBC Sport.

“I am dithering but at the moment I am enjoying life so much I haven’t really got the time to practise or give the game 100%.”

Asked if a rumoured return to action at the Masters in January is possible, O’Sullivan said: “That is not true.”

O’Sullivan went on speak about his life away from the table and making his debut as a TV pundit for the second round of the UK Championship on Saturday.

How O’Sullivan now lives his life

Ronnie O'Sullivan
O’Sullivan had the chance to reach his four consecutive world final, but lost to Stuart Bingham in the last eight

With little practice now in his schedule, O’Sullivan has time to catch up on his favourite TV shows, as well as giving up bad habits he has picked up.

Start to the day: “I wake up at 4am and put a bit of telly on for an hour. I like my sports so I’ll watch that. The Champions League, darts, tennis and athletics I enjoy the most. There is always something on. I’ll take 10 minutes to watch the news to see what I going on around the world.

“I like I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here at the moment and Lady Colin Campbell is causing a bit of a stir. You never know, one day I might be on it myself.

“Then I get my jogging bottoms on and go to the forest. I have a slight injury at the moment so I will be walking for five, six miles and do a little bit of running because the back is getting better. That will start my day off. The more I do it, the more I feel I need to have it.

“When I injured my back, I was told I was unable to do any more exercise and for the first couple of weeks I quite enjoyed not having to go to the gym or do the morning run. It does take time out of your day. You end up gaining two hours on your day. It is important that I am able to get some fresh air and it enables me to think and find some answers to questions I have in my mind.

“After that, I’ll make my way to the cafe with my friend who I go walking with, sit there and chill and have some breakfast. Eighty percent of my food is healthy because I am liable to put on weight so I know how important diet is. I would go for porridge, poached eggs, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. I try and stay away from the bread. I then shower and get ready for whatever the day presents for me. That can vary from day to day.”

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Preparing for the afternoon: “I am ready for the rest of my day by 11am. I have the Ronnie O’Sullivan Show on Eurosport so will take time working on that and also the radio show that I have on a Thursday. I enjoy spending quality time with my son and daughter. In the holidays, I get to spend even more time with them so as a parent, there are responsibilities. You are juggling quite a few things when you get to my age.

“Otherwise I will go down to the club and hit a few balls. I didn’t play for around two to three months after the World Championship and decided to play in some of the amateur tournaments at the snooker academy in Gloucester. I have done a little bit of practice but not too much and played in some exhibition matches.

“It has given me the chance to travel around the UK and I love that. We move from one venue to the next and it is exciting because you never know what you are going to get. If there was no snooker for me to play, I would rather stay at home.”

A healthy evening meal: “I have dinner at around 6-7pm and my girlfriend does a great curry. We try to do it as organic as you can. When you get to 40, it is harder to keep the weight down so you have to keep vigilant about what you eat. We go to a restaurant sometimes but will always have the grilled stuff.

“My favourite meal during the week is fish, but I love to eat chicken and salads too. We just got back from Bulgaria and Romania and the salads they do out there are unbelievable. I am going to try that in my diet over here. We tend to eat a lot of bread and pasta here.”

Ronnie O'Sullivan
O’Sullivan was at the O2 Arena to watch the ATP World Tour finals earlier this month

Winding down: “9pm would be an early night for me. I had six hours’ sleep on Thursday night which is the most I have had in about five years. I overslept. I usually have four hours and that keeps me going. I am flying if I get four hours.

“At the moment, I am reading Allen Carr’s book The Only Way to Stop Smoking Permanently. That will be in my handbag which I carry around with me everywhere I go. In there I also have my pens, driving licence, some euros and my passport. Any time I think I need to go somewhere, I will always have the essentials ready in my bag. I can go to any country with that and survive.

“When I run, I don’t ever feel like smoking but the last six weeks I haven’t been able to and it has been a hard time for me. I may have to have an operation on my back. I was feeling sorry for myself and decided to start smoking again. It is not a good idea but I am getting off them.”

‘There is a duty to say what needs to be said’

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Gary Neville
“Gary Neville is a great pundit,” says O’Sullivan

O’Sullivan won his fifth UK Championship title in York last December, but decided not to defend his crown. Instead, he will be making his debut as a snooker pundit starting on Saturday on Eurosport.

“Gary Neville is a great football pundit but he has learnt off a great in Sir Alex Ferguson. Gary knows the game inside out and everyone has their different ways of looking at a game.

“The aim of punditry isn’t to be controversial, it is about being honest and given the viewers an insight. As a pundit, there is a duty to say what needs to be said.

“I will have my own view on how a match is going and I will have played against a lot of the guys so will provide an insight on how certain players will match up. I can give a view on their strengths and weaknesses too. Snooker is about cancelling each other out so if a player has an attacking game, you can put pressure on their weakest part.”

The only thing I want to add is that I was in Romania and Ronnie did indeed say that he would be at the Masters… so it’s a change of mind, not a false rumour.