“Looking for perfection is the only way to motivate yourself.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Introduction
Ronnie O’Sullivan has been absent on the snooker tour for several months now. With every tournament comes an announcement that he has withdrawn from the event for unexplained reasons. We know Ronnie has split from his on/off relationship with Laila Rouass again. It’s a shame, as I thought he was in a good place with Rouass. However, if it is not working, there is no point in continuing something where you are making each other unhappy. There have also been numerous media outbursts by this snooker maverick, who is unhappy playing on UK soil and has been turning his attention towards the Chinese and Saudi Arabian markets. He claims this is his happy place, and we know that he has forged several friendships and business associates in both countries. The opening of his snooker centre in Riyadh is the start of a dream to support and nurture new future stars. It’s a strange place to do it, but Ronnie knows that money talks and Saudi Arabia has an abundance of it and an interest in most major sports now. With the Ronnie stamp on this brand, the avenues are endless, and WST has decided to back the venture for apparent reasons.
Branching Out
Ronnie knows that he has to find other projects within the snooker market. Although he is undoubtedly the best player that has ever graced the snooker stage, his time on the circuit isn’t endless. Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry had to find other projects away from the table when their professional careers ended, with Steve moving into the music industry and Stephen spending considerable periods in China to promote the game and a successful video podcast. Ronnie is reportedly worth an estimated £20 million, combining tournament wins, sponsorship and business ventures. So, if he ducks out of a few tournaments, it will not dent his bank account.
We all know that O’Sullivan struggles with the pressure of playing, and the massive support he receives comes with the shackles of everyone wanting a piece of him. His every move and interview is put under the spotlight, which isn’t suitable for someone who is volatile and tends to be irrational sometimes. I think his hunger to win has waned in recent months, and he probably won’t make an effort again until the start of the Triple Crown events. Ronnie hates smaller tournaments and would rather play in front of a massive audience in Hong Kong or China than at an awash event with empty seats. That’s not to say he doesn’t keep his hand in. To say that he doesn’t practice off the table is rubbish. He still puts at least half a day on the table. Even the greatest get rusty, and most of his losses to lesser-known players are due to his mindset and not his form. If his heart isn’t it, he will lose, and he is prone to fail, missing those easy pots that he wouldn’t usually miss on a month of Sundays.
Moving Forward
I don’t think Ronnie wants to be a Fred Davis, playing into his twilight years, and although Jimmy White gets the odd win, he is there because Barry Hearn gave him an invitational tour card. Ronnie wouldn’t have either option and would bow out of the main stage when ready. The timescale for this is unknown, but he will eventually leave if his heart isn’t working. O’Sullivan likes stability, but snooker doesn’t often give him that. He likes Eurosport punditry, and I am sure he would be an excellent coach and mentor if he pursued this path. Ronnie will always be the benchmark of snooker, and it would take a phenomenal player to surpass his record. His closest rival, Judd Trump, still walks in his colleague’s shadow and makes hay while the sun shines due to Ronnie’s absence. Judd has flair on the table, but he doesn’t possess that Ronnie wow factor.
At 48, Ronnie O’Sullivan isn’t done yet, but he has had to learn to adapt. His outbursts have become less frequent, and he has become more of a mature player, taking on a statesman role, than the hot-headed youth he once was. The cockiness is still there, but it is more subtle now, and he knows that if he wants those big deals, he has to ditch the potty mouth. O’Sullivan likes making money. He gets that ethos from his parents. Although they probably didn’t make it the same way as him, he still idolised his father and kept his children out of the gaze of the public eye. O’Sullivan is more of a businessman now and has a lot of influential people working in his corner. He is happiest when this close-knit of friends surround him and would rather chill in a Turkish restaurant than the glare of a snooker arena. Ronnie will always succeed, but it is up to him to decide what direction he should take.
