Ronnie O'Sullivan: Snooker could benefit from five-time world champion's input, says Shaun Murphy

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Breakaway tour a 'last resort' - O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan can be "a power of good" if he gets involved in shaping the future of snooker through official channels, says Shaun Murphy.

Five-time world champion O'Sullivan, who moved into the UK Championship fourth round on Monday, threatened to quit the tour and form a "Champions League-style" breakaway events series.

World Snooker boss Barry Hearn called O'Sullivan's plans "nonsensical".

"As the biggest draw in the game, what he says counts," Murphy told BBC Sport.

"It matters to the public, the players and World Snooker. Ronnie could be such a power for good in snooker if he wanted to be."

Defending UK champion O'Sullivan, who turns 43 on Wednesday, is unhappy with the tour schedule, the amount of travelling involved between events and the way ranking points are allocated.

He has said he will quit the tour if "tweaks" are not made.

Murphy, who has had a spiky rivalry with O'Sullivan in the past, added: "I know Ronnie's been invited to get involved with the Players Commission.

"He's welcome to come to any meeting the WPBSA has and I know the powers that be at World Snooker are keen to speak to him as well.

"We value his input and we'd love for him to get round a table and come at us with some really good ideas. It'd be good to get them down on a bit of paper and discuss them professionally."

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Shaun Murphy has respect for Ronnie O'Sullivan (left) despite not always seeing eye to eye

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