Topic locked

Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby SnookerFan

Ronnie O'Sullivan said he would follow through with his threat to retire unless snooker boss Barry Hearn stopped "blackmailing" the sport's players.

O'Sullivan, who beat Ali Carter 18-11 to win his fourth world title, will assess his options after a sabbatical.

"There's a bit more left in the tank but it's up to certain people to do the right thing and stop trying to blackmail players," said O'Sullivan.

"I'm not going to hang around for two more years for things to become fair."

O'Sullivan, who at 36 is the oldest player to win the world title since his former mentor Ray Reardon in 1978, is unhappy with World Snooker chairman Hearn's revamped 50-week, 27-event tour, which will take full effect next year.

The Essex player said the rigours of the extra workload led to him falling ill last December and that he had decided to put his family first.

"Part of me still wants to play but I was that ill trying to keep up with the schedule, getting letters from World Snooker, and I'm not prepared to put myself under that stress," said O'Sullivan.

"I know there's a big responsibility to promote the game and I'd play in any tournament if it was physically possible.

"But it's up to the governing body to treat the players right and say they don't expect players to travel to 27 tournaments a year.

"I've had a long time to think about everything, it's not a knee-jerk reaction. I'm not saying I have retired but family has become the most important thing in my life.

Use accessible player and disable flyout menusO'Sullivan clinches fourth World title
"They [World Snooker] have a chance to sort things out but I've made plans. I'm having a good four, five, six months off and then I'll assess the situation.

"I'm quite happy to move on if I have to and enter another world where there aren't those types of restrictions on me. Maybe a bit of Strictly [Come Dancing], maybe a bit of punditry."

Meanwhile, O'Sullivan paid tribute to his mental coach, Dr Steve Peters, who he attributes with turning his game around.

"If I was Man City I would go and buy him," said O'Sullivan of the man who is psychiatrist to the British cycling team.

"He's helped me understand that my brain is a machine and if you manage it you can do everything you want to if you want to do it.

"Deep down I love to play snooker but I've got too involved in it. I live and breathe this game and I was too wrapped up in trying to be perfect.

"You can't be perfect, but as long as you give it your best that's all you can do. He's enabled me to be happy in my life and enjoy my snooker as well."

Runner-up Carter, who was considering retirement at the start of the year, found it hard to be upbeat about his achievement, which came as he battles Crohn's disease.

Carter has managed it well during his stay in Sheffield, in part due to a high intake of carrot juice, juiced each day in his dressing room.

He said: "I'm just disappointed to lose. I didn't feel I played well in the final.

"Ronnie put me under all sorts of pressure. His safety game was unbelievable. I was just under it from the start."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/17985021

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Roland

He's trying to blackmail the governing body. It won't work. Overall I felt he spoke well in the presser but the threat to retire will fall on deaf ears.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby JIMO96

So the world champion will miss the Australian Open, Wuxi Classic, Shanghai Masters, International Championship and multiple PTCs across 3 continents if he sticks to his "6 month break" plan.

Fair enough Ronnie, just have some decency and throw away the entry forms for all of these events, and not leave it till the last possible minute to withdraw with "glandular fever" (GF has been strangely absent this last couple of weeks.....if he really did have it, is it really a good idea to slobber all over a little kid like he did last night?).

O'Sullivan is obviously "too cool", in his own eyes, to be bothered promoting the sport he is champion of, and that saddens me, particularly when everyone knows he'll bounce along to some meaningless shot clock event in Grimsby without any issues.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Snooker Overdrive

JIMO96 wrote:So the world champion will miss the Australian Open, Wuxi Classic, Shanghai Masters, International Championship and multiple PTCs across 3 continents if he sticks to his "6 month break" plan.

Fair enough Ronnie, just have some decency and throw away the entry forms for all of these events, and not leave it till the last possible minute to withdraw with "glandular fever" (GF has been strangely absent this last couple of weeks.....if he really did have it, is it really a good idea to slobber all over a little kid like he did last night?).

O'Sullivan is obviously "too cool", in his own eyes, to be bothered promoting the sport he is champion of, and that saddens me, particularly when everyone knows he'll bounce along to some meaningless shot clock event in Grimsby without any issues.


<doh>

Ronnie has a family and he has every right to chose the tournaments he wants to play in. There are about 5 ranking tournaments in China next season and I wouldn't want to travel that far on 5 different occasions and he won't be the only player who feels that way.

It's brilliant that there are so many tournaments all around the year but especially the older players with family don't want to travel the world 365 days a year.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby JIMO96

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
JIMO96 wrote:So the world champion will miss the Australian Open, Wuxi Classic, Shanghai Masters, International Championship and multiple PTCs across 3 continents if he sticks to his "6 month break" plan.

Fair enough Ronnie, just have some decency and throw away the entry forms for all of these events, and not leave it till the last possible minute to withdraw with "glandular fever" (GF has been strangely absent this last couple of weeks.....if he really did have it, is it really a good idea to slobber all over a little kid like he did last night?).

O'Sullivan is obviously "too cool", in his own eyes, to be bothered promoting the sport he is champion of, and that saddens me, particularly when everyone knows he'll bounce along to some meaningless shot clock event in Grimsby without any issues.


<doh>

Ronnie has a family and he has every right to chose the tournaments he wants to play in. There are about 5 ranking tournaments in China next season and I wouldn't want to travel that far on 5 different occasions and he won't be the only player who feels that way.

It's brilliant that there are so many tournaments all around the year but especially the older players with family don't want to travel the world 365 days a year.


Doh! Jeezus recycling Christ, SOD do you think you've just told me anything I don't know?

My point was that it lacks class to enter tournaments you know you're going to withdraw from with some phantom illness.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Snooker Overdrive

JIMO96 wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:
JIMO96 wrote:So the world champion will miss the Australian Open, Wuxi Classic, Shanghai Masters, International Championship and multiple PTCs across 3 continents if he sticks to his "6 month break" plan.

Fair enough Ronnie, just have some decency and throw away the entry forms for all of these events, and not leave it till the last possible minute to withdraw with "glandular fever" (GF has been strangely absent this last couple of weeks.....if he really did have it, is it really a good idea to slobber all over a little kid like he did last night?).

O'Sullivan is obviously "too cool", in his own eyes, to be bothered promoting the sport he is champion of, and that saddens me, particularly when everyone knows he'll bounce along to some meaningless shot clock event in Grimsby without any issues.


<doh>

Ronnie has a family and he has every right to chose the tournaments he wants to play in. There are about 5 ranking tournaments in China next season and I wouldn't want to travel that far on 5 different occasions and he won't be the only player who feels that way.

It's brilliant that there are so many tournaments all around the year but especially the older players with family don't want to travel the world 365 days a year.


Doh! Jeezus recycling Christ, SOD do you think you've just told me anything I don't know?

My point was that it lacks class to enter tournaments you know you're going to withdraw from with some phantom illness.


You also said that he's "too cool" and "can't be bothered to promote the sport" ...

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Roland

Still, rather him promoting the sport than Ali scowler can't handle any run of the ball against me Carter

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Alex0paul

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
JIMO96 wrote:So the world champion will miss the Australian Open, Wuxi Classic, Shanghai Masters, International Championship and multiple PTCs across 3 continents if he sticks to his "6 month break" plan.

Fair enough Ronnie, just have some decency and throw away the entry forms for all of these events, and not leave it till the last possible minute to withdraw with "glandular fever" (GF has been strangely absent this last couple of weeks.....if he really did have it, is it really a good idea to slobber all over a little kid like he did last night?).

O'Sullivan is obviously "too cool", in his own eyes, to be bothered promoting the sport he is champion of, and that saddens me, particularly when everyone knows he'll bounce along to some meaningless shot clock event in Grimsby without any issues.


<doh>

Ronnie has a family and he has every right to chose the tournaments he wants to play in. There are about 5 ranking tournaments in China next season and I wouldn't want to travel that far on 5 different occasions and he won't be the only player who feels that way.

It's brilliant that there are so many tournaments all around the year but especially the older players with family don't want to travel the world 365 days a year.


And what about the Chinese players having to travel to the UK/Europe every time there is a tournament?

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Ronnie skipped 3 ranking events this season - Australia, World Open & PTC finals and yet he collected 36360 points this season. Selby accumulated just 120 points more.

Ronnie will probably skip about 5 ranking events next season but if he wins one or two tournaments and has a good run in the WC or UK, it will be more than sufficient to keep him in the top 16.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Roland

Selby had to withdraw from China and then went out round 1 in the biggest points event through injury though. Ronnie let people down by getting on the plane back home then not getting on the plane when he'd already "entered" the tournaments.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Sonny wrote:Selby had to withdraw from China and then went out round 1 in the biggest points event through injury though. Ronnie let people down by getting on the plane back home then not getting on the plane when he'd already "entered" the tournaments.


Ronnie handled the PTC Grand final withdrawal poorly, I give you that. That was disappointing but I wasn't having a dig at Selby this time. I just wanted to state that Ronnie can afford to skip a couple of rankers and still stay in the top 16.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby JIMO96

Stick to the subject, SOD.....baiting other forum users is not constructive. Are you 11?

The system allows players, especially good players, to skip some events and still maintain their ranking with a run in the WC. In fact, the new cash rankings will allow players to skip even more events!

But do it with a bit of dignity FFS. I can't believe people still stick up for him after the countless letdowns.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Alex0paul wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:
JIMO96 wrote:So the world champion will miss the Australian Open, Wuxi Classic, Shanghai Masters, International Championship and multiple PTCs across 3 continents if he sticks to his "6 month break" plan.

Fair enough Ronnie, just have some decency and throw away the entry forms for all of these events, and not leave it till the last possible minute to withdraw with "glandular fever" (GF has been strangely absent this last couple of weeks.....if he really did have it, is it really a good idea to slobber all over a little kid like he did last night?).

O'Sullivan is obviously "too cool", in his own eyes, to be bothered promoting the sport he is champion of, and that saddens me, particularly when everyone knows he'll bounce along to some meaningless shot clock event in Grimsby without any issues.


<doh>

Ronnie has a family and he has every right to chose the tournaments he wants to play in. There are about 5 ranking tournaments in China next season and I wouldn't want to travel that far on 5 different occasions and he won't be the only player who feels that way.

It's brilliant that there are so many tournaments all around the year but especially the older players with family don't want to travel the world 365 days a year.


And what about the Chinese players having to travel to the UK/Europe every time there is a tournament?


Good point.

I think most of the Chinese players are UK based to avoid the traveling but now that doesn't solve the problem.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:He's trying to blackmail the governing body. It won't work. Overall I felt he spoke well in the presser but the threat to retire will fall on deaf ears.

Barry Hearn wont Give a flying buck about Ronnie or anyone else.

Basicly its his way or No Way

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Wildey

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
JIMO96 wrote:So the world champion will miss the Australian Open, Wuxi Classic, Shanghai Masters, International Championship and multiple PTCs across 3 continents if he sticks to his "6 month break" plan.

Fair enough Ronnie, just have some decency and throw away the entry forms for all of these events, and not leave it till the last possible minute to withdraw with "glandular fever" (GF has been strangely absent this last couple of weeks.....if he really did have it, is it really a good idea to slobber all over a little kid like he did last night?).

O'Sullivan is obviously "too cool", in his own eyes, to be bothered promoting the sport he is champion of, and that saddens me, particularly when everyone knows he'll bounce along to some meaningless shot clock event in Grimsby without any issues.


<doh>

Ronnie has a family and he has every right to chose the tournaments he wants to play in. There are about 5 ranking tournaments in China next season and I wouldn't want to travel that far on 5 different occasions and he won't be the only player who feels that way.

It's brilliant that there are so many tournaments all around the year but especially the older players with family don't want to travel the world 365 days a year.


its his choice if he wants to travel or not but please dont use that We Are Brits we shouldnt have to travel bullocks.

in 1983 Cliff Thorburn lost a child while he was playing in the World Championship 1000 of miles from home and he continued in the event its nothing new but now the shoe is on another foot and its the Brits that does some traveling.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Dannyboy

The new money rankings will allow players to pick and choose what tournaments they play in. Winning the World Championship and not playing in anything else will probably keep you in the Top 8!

A problem is that Ronnie O'Sullivan can probably command the same money from playing an exhibition in a club than he would win getting to a final of a PTC.

I think its unrealistic for players to be expected to travel to every single tournament. 50 weeks of snooker is overkill IMO and players will get burned out.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Wildey

Dannyboy wrote:The new money rankings will allow players to pick and choose what tournaments they play in. Winning the World Championship and not playing in anything else will probably keep you in the Top 8!.


to start with that is a load of bucking twatty bullocks and why money rankings are the most shitiest bucking crap idea that barry bucking grunting hearn ever bucking had.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby JIMO96

Jewell wrote:Ronnie does more to promote the sport then other snooker player in the world right now.


Care to justify this comment? Any proof?

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby JIMO96

I think someone who does a lot to "promote the sport" will participate in some or all of the following activities:

- attend as many events on the calendar as possible, especially in growth areas
- generate positive publicity for the sport in press conferences
- be seen as accommodating to sponsors/broadcasters needs
- project a positive image to the general public
- behave in a manner expected of a professional sportsman

- plus many more I'm sure fellow posters can add.

Straight away I can see at least 3 categories where O'Sullivan falls woefully short in, and where (to use Sonnys example), the likes of Selby & Murphy excel.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Roland

Basically what you're saying is, he is doing more to promote the game than anyone else by playing snooker the way he plays it rather than pro-actively promoting the sport (which I know he does a bit of, but not as much as others)?

As for the only global superstar, there are quite a few of those - Ding, Higgins, Selby, Robertson, Williams to name a few.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Sickpotter

Jewell wrote:For me promoting the sport doesn`t just mean turning up and playing in every event under sun. Whether you like it or not Ronnie is only global superstar or close to it that snooker has. He attracts fans to the sport, he attract news, sponsors and money to the sport. And he does with his brand of snooker and personality.
He doesn`t need to play in far flung places, Ronnie promotes the sport better than anyone else simply by being who he is.


Jewell, I'd agree with the concept of not needing to show up to every event but late widthdrawls has been a hall mark of Ronnie over the last while and that's not good for the game.

Sponsors get screwed when a player widthdraws late discouraging them from sponsoring future events. ROS may attract sponsors but he also puts them off. IMO Ronnie is nearing a tipping point where his behavior will lead to sponsor losses.

As far as ROS being the "only global superstar" for snooker...... :roll: that's just nuts. Plenty of the other top players are known globally. Hendry was the top worldwide Twitter trend after he made his max this year but he's not a global superstar?

Please, take the ROS fan blinders off, the game doesn't live or die with Ronnie.

Snooker does benefit from ROS but it doesn't need him to survive.

If ROS wants to take 6 months off so be it, his career, his life and he can do what he wants.

Pretty sure it'll be a good reality check for Ronnie and his fans when they find the game just moves along without him. :john:

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Roland

Yep. No one wants him to retire, but if he did snooker would move on and would be absolutely fine without him. No one player is bigger than the game and never has been.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby jojo

ronnie is a one off whether people like it or not

the game has lived without him and will continue to live without him but it will be a far better place with him in it

i heard darren gough the ex cricketer say he wont bother watching snooker anymore as ronnies decided to take a six month break and he been watching snooker for years and years

my fear is there will be others like him which is sad really as much as players like selby etc give it one hundred per cent all of the time they are not box office and wont sell out crowds like ronnie does

the hardcore fans like me and others on here can respect all forms of snooker so understand selbys game however people would much rather see players like ronnie over selby unless they not true hardcore fans

that just the reality of it if ronnie does retire the game moves on very simple it wont die without him but it a far better place with him in it

note how hearn responds to allen compared to o sullivan with allen he very direct implying i dont care about you but with ronnie he more subtle he knows the game is better with ronnie wants ronnie onside but wont buckle under ronnies so called demands
Last edited by jojo on 10 May 2012, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Roland

Yeah, he's a genius but he's not perfect. He's a paradox, he loves and craves the attention but claims he doesn't like the pressure of being famous, he keeps retiring or hinting at retiring then never goes through with it (before the final he said he was going to retire so people talked about it, then when he won one of the first things he said is he is going to carry on playing, if that's not attention seeking then I don't know what is). He cried out for Hearn to take over then doesn't let him get on with the job, and he talks a lot of crap in interviews but equally he makes a lot of good points. It's fair to say he's colourful and gets people talking.

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby Roland

jojo wrote:i heard darren gough the ex cricketer say he wont bother watching snooker anymore as ronnies decided to take a six month break and he been watching snooker for years and years


As for Darren Gough though :wave:

Re: Ronnie threatens retirement again.

Postby jojo

that the point im making only the hardcore traditionalists will stick to snooker what about attracting new fans and maintaining the ones who are snooker fans but not hardcore traditionalists ?

the game still needs ronnie but will live without him it survived without alex higgins and without jimmy white and it will survive without ronnie o sullivan however he brings something else to the game on and off the table what others no matter how hard they try and how dedicated they are will not be able to