Shaun Murphy has never been shy of expressing his opinions, whether it be on snooker or something else.
The 2005 world champion has long been a vocal proponent of various topics, posing arguments that it’s fair to say aren’t always wholly agreed upon by the wider public.
Murphy’s latest musing hasn’t been particularly well received either, suggesting a tweak to snooker’s format that would completely transform the game.
“Unpopular opinion time,” Shaun Murphy wrote on Twitter as the World Snooker Championship quarter-finals resumed in Sheffield on Wednesday.
“I think we should remove playing for snookers from the game. Once the frame is over mathematically, it’s over. What do you think?”
There have been different formats incorporated into events over the years in an attempt to offer variety.
The Snooker Shoot Out is the standout example, with the rapid single-frame competition boasting shot clocks and ball-in-hand situations.
There is also the Six Red World Championship, in which each frame begins with only six reds rather than the traditional 15.
Just over a decade ago, a bizarre format called Power Snooker was trialled for a couple of years with only limited success.
Going even further back, snooker’s first world champion Joe Davis even introduced a version of snooker with an orange ball and a purple ball worth eight and ten points respectively.
So it’s not unprecedented to try something new with the hope of attracting a different audience.
Completely eradicating snookers from a sport that is literally called snooker is quite out there – even for Murphy.
But could it work for one tournament? Possibly. Playing for snookers is part of the game and often adds to the frame or match’s entertainment.
There are occasions, though, when snookers make frames unnecessarily long, particularly when the likelihood of turning things around from, say, a four-snookers-needed situation is so slim.
One event on the calendar, where frames are won when mathematically enough points in front, could provide an interesting alternative to the norm.
The reaction to Murphy’s post on Twitter was explicit, however.
“Would require a name change too, what would you call it?” quipped the popular Out Of Context Snooker account.
“No. My all time favourite player (still is even though retired) Alan McManus was a master at laying snookers with cunning elegance,” wrote Margie Esson.
“I agree…with the unpopular opinion bit. The rest is nonsense,” SnookerInfo147 succinctly said.
For the full World Snooker Championship draw, results, live scores, and session times, click here.
Featured photo credit: WST
Shaun Murphy should keep taking the happy tablets and stick to playing the game with his talent he should have and should be winning more
Is this Ian Doyle the one who used to manage Stephen Hendry?
Oh my word! I think only Murphy could come up with that, maybe because he is not so good at laying snookers as others, such as Selby. There is a reason why the game us called snooker, it is in the title, and I find that side if the game more interesting to watch. I was riveted to my seat during the match in the semi final which went on past midnight.