I agree. And surely being an amateur must make it harder mentally, being in an environment you're unfamiliar with unlike the professional players. Lost a bit of respect there for Shaun, he's normally more gracious in defeat.
Bizarrely, I've heard interviews with two other pros now (Neil Robertson, and someone who's just won today) both in support of Murphy's views on this. Seems very much like a closing of ranks in favour of the closed shop. Perhaps they should try playing better if they don't want the amateurs to ruin their plans. Pathetic.
I didn't hear the maungy sod before the match complaining. If anything it should be the set for life multi millionaire and facing an amateur who should be playing without a care in the world. More pressure is surely on the amateur who's playing a former world champion trying to make some cash that he will need more than Murphy does.
Good job no F.A. cup in snooker.....non league clubs wouldn’t be invited if up to Mr Murphy a reckon!
Sour grapes and an elitist, pull the ladder up and sod the rest view. If you can't beat a player who dropped out of the top 128, and thus losing his tour card, then maybe he should have a good look in the mirror and ask why. He's basically wanting Snooker version of the European Super League. The same names, playing each other in every tournament.
It's all swings and roundabouts. They may not have the pressure of having to win to support themselves like the full pros do, but they also don't have the time/resources to practice like a pro does. He needs to get his head out of his arse...
What a ridiculous opinion to have. I'm assuming Shaun was born a professional snooker player then, and never had to work his way up? If I remember right, he won the world title as a qualifier, and was the first to do so for a considerable length of time (Since Joe Johnson maybe?) How on earth are the next generation of professional players going to come through if they aren't allowed to enter professional tournaments? Having read the article, it seems the lad he lost to, was selected as a replacement for someone who had to drop out based on merit. He's previously been on the professional circuit too, so for Murphy to elude to the fact that it isn't his livelihood at stake smacks very much of sour grapes. I struggle to see how a man who's won half a million quid in prize money is struggling to 'put food on the table'.
