Today the Telegraph has a brilliant Ronnie O'Sullivan interview and the five-time world champion attacked the hypocritical way in which the sport treats struggling players.
Ronnie O'Sullivan's tendency to 'go off on one' is more than well-documented. At times he seems to despise everything about snooker while on other occasions he seems utterly at peace with cue in hand, laying waste to whatever doomed individual had the misfortune to be drawn alongside him on a given day.
The way O'Sullivan behaves and speaks often hints at a man in conflict with the notion of spending hours standing potting balls when he could be out exploring other interests. Needless to say he speaks with the perspective of someone for whom snooker isn't everything, and that can lead to interesting observations. Like today.
Today in the Telegraph there is a fine interview with O'Sullivan by Oliver Brown, and the whole piece is brilliant. However there is a particular segment where O'Sullivan reflects on the plight of the struggling player, the 'journeyman' who isn't at the level of O'Sullivan and his peers, and attacks the hierarchy in snooker.
There’s no trickle-down. All the top players get everything and those at the bottom are in poverty. Snooker isn’t like golf or football, where the players further down can be supported. In snooker, a lot can’t afford a pair of trainers for their kid. Then you see board members flying business class, drinking red wine, schmoozing, wearing nice suits, saying they are doing wonderful things for the game and that it has never been in a better place. That’s what they’re telling the world, but I live every day with these guys and I see what they are going through.
O'Sullivan speaks as someone who can afford to rail against the snooker world in such a way - he knows that they can't afford to come down too heavily on him, their star attraction.
But he also clearly cares about his fellow player, and his comments will speak to the majority of sportspeople - for it is only the tiny minority of athletes in any sport who will make it big. That O'Sullivan recognises this and has addressed it shows a sportsperson with a rare and refreshing sense of perspective.
