'Half-decent amateurs': Ronnie O'Sullivan criticises snooker's next generation – video

Five-times world snooker champion Ronnie O'Sullivan made some scathing remarks about the next generation of snooker. During an interview with the BBC he was asked about if he would have believed he and Mark Williams would still be performing at the top more than two decades later. The 44-year-old said: 'Probably not if you asked me then but when you look at the standard of play, I would say yes. People like me, John Higgins and Mark Williams, if you look at the younger players coming through, they are not that good really. Most of them would do well as half-decent amateurs, not even amateurs. They are so bad.'

The Guardian YouTube network:

[underneonloneliness]

The modern world is losing great characters with great personalitys. Everything seems to be too safe and boring nowadays and everyone being offended over little things.

[prateekratna]

Interviewer:"well, it's not that bad'..

Ronnie: IT IS!

Classic Rocket!

[Clavinovaman]

He's right. Absolutely bang on. And not only that, the new players are so tedious to watch.

[ashleymackleybeats]

LOL to they guy that deleted his comment saying he will laugh when ronnie loses hahahahaha aged like milk

[Woltato]

He's got a point.
Final of the world championship last 4 years included:-
John Higgins 3 times
Mark Williams
Ronnie O Sullivan

All players in their 40s

[KrewzKontrol]

2022: ranked number 1, and 7th world title. What a legend.

[schmurgen]

He’s quite right. The standard outside the top 64 is poor. You’ve got guys supposedly having been professional for twenty odd years and never done anything. Career earnings equivalent to a postman!!

[LIVERNIL]

There's not that many players now with flare and natural talent. You'll never see another Whirlwind, Hurricane or Rocket.

[eightiesboy]

Love Ronnie. Says exactly as it is, brilliant!

[StevemanChair]

Came back after Ronnie, Mark and John made up 3 of the 4 semi finalists this year lol

[PremierTraveler]

Ronnie just telling it like it is, he’s the Roy Keane of Snooker.

[Marley]

The best young player to emerge in the last 10 years was Judd Trump...destined for absolute greatness...yet in truth he's only won 1 world title which puts him at the same level as Peter Ebdon.The players coming through now don't even show that level of promise.The standard has raised at the bottom of the pile but its also dropped from the very top.

[parveskoyes]

My brother is 18 barely watches snooker yet watched the whole match where Ronnie beat Selby 17-16 and he was gripped lol and it all started after we watched this interview live.

[heppolo]

Can also be titled "What Federer, Nadal & Djokovic really think of the younger generation of tennis players"

[proinnsiasomurchu]

He’s right that standard of the new players coming through today are disgraceful, it’s only because of Ronnie, Williams, Higgins & a few other that people are still interested in snooker, especially when ya see the likes of McGill get to a semifinal. So now Ronnie should go on & win at least 8-10 World titles. 👍🏻

[aldodirusso]

Call him arrogant but you can't deny he is damn right, isn't he?

[markofsaltburn]

One he said this, he had to win. He should say something stupid every year.

[Diggnuts]

It is true. I seen the standard decline the last decade and a half. I rarely watch snooker unless there is a match with a player from the class of around 92 that has some form. Otherwise I don't bother.

[Honr]

It's true. How many sub-25-year-olds have we seen in ranking event semi-finals in the last 5 years? It's always the same 10-12.

People getting offended by this are the ones who think attendance trophies should be a thing.

[hassanwaqie]

Says it how he sees it. Never change Ronnie