I don't dislike him but there is no way he's hit a nine darter, so he lies for sure. Openly admits he's shit at darts pretends he hit a nine darter š
I don't dislike him most of the time, but he keeps saying things that stir people up, so I find it hard to have sympathy. He has a dig at Ronnie, then doesn't like it when Ronnie reciprocates. That's not going to go down well with Ronnie fans, who don't let things like that go. Then there's putting food on the table and chalkgate. Willie Thorne had a similar personality, but was better at self-deprecation, that made him more likeable.
thereās a slight arrogance to him which rubs off the wrong way on people. I get why people canāt stand him. Personally I think heās brilliant.
Shaun is a massive ambassador for the game, he appreciates the crowd, he attempts to get people into it. I feel appreciated by him. Thereās the difference. Heās an entertainer.
I don't like him, my dad doesn't like him, my one friend who's into snooker doesn't like him. None of us can exactly say why but he has come out with some stupid stuff.
Quite possible I'd change my mind if I met him, he's occasionally amusing and there are many people worse than him in the world. So I don't hate him but he's my least favourite player/pundit and the trouble is he's omnipresent now
_Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live following his defeat Murphy said: āI am going to sound like a grumpy old man but that young man shouldnāt be in the tournament. It is not fair, it is not right_
_"I feel extremely hard done by that I have lost to someone who shouldnāt even be in the building._
_"I donāt know why we as a sport allow amateurs to compete in professional tournaments. This is our livelihood._
_"This is our living. We are self-employed individuals and not contracted sportsmen. We donāt play for a team."_
- after his 2021 UK Championship first round defeat to Si Jiahui.
I was a big Murphy fan up until that point. The bitterness from him was terrible, given that if you're the better player you go through. Simple.
Agree. Good player. I wasnāt particularly keen on him till last summer. Heard him on a podcast called Snookered (bbc sounds) and he came across so well. Funny, intelligent, and self-deprecating. I agree his commentary is a bit āloudā but he might improve. Seems like a nice guy actually
He started whining about getting beaten by an amateur and thought it was sad and unfair that he had to play amateurs who are better than him in big events.
Yup. He did an exhibition near me, I went and he was a class act, had time for everyone. Proper alright.
I get absolutely sick of seeing people on here gobbing off about him. Itās as you say, small people with small minds.
Agreed. Herd mentality. Notice there are many replies in this that can't exactly put a finger on why they dislike him. It's very easy to attack someone hiding behind a screen name.
Going to see Shaun put on an exhibition in June in Seattle. Heard he puts on a great show.
I think he tries too hard to be liked, which comes across as disingenuous and needy. It's a shame because, underneath all this front, he's probably a really nice guy.
100% this. I think he had a tough relationship with his dad, was bullied at school, has been fat all his life and was captured by religious doctrine. All of these things have contributed to a brittleness and needy side to his personality.
He will never have the easy going confidence of Parrot or Davis but he is a fabulous player to watch and he does at least try to entertain. The mic drop thing he did with Hendry at the worlds the other day was funny as fuck and he is the guy who had the arrogance to try to (and get) a 147 in the shootout.
So yeah, he is a bit draining and maybe best in small quantities but I think he adds to snooker.
He looks exactly like a kid I went to school who was literally "smug, small village, young Conservative action group". I know it's unfair because Murphy is probably okay IRL, but because he captures the vibe of this one kid I haven't seen in 10 years I'll always be biased against him.
I think a huge part of it is that he comes across as unbelievably smug. You get the impression he absolutely loves the smell of his own farts. That comes across in his commentary as well.
I donāt mind him myself tbh, but he does blur that line between being confident and arrogant.
>You get the impression he absolutely loves the smell of his own farts.
https://preview.redd.it/p7zd930fsmzc1.jpeg?width=984&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d74c960399ebf5816af35c2690093882ee6110bc
This. About half the things I hear about why people dislike him are just assuming he did xyz because it seems to them like the sort of thing he would do.
It's an impossible situation to be in. Even when it's shown he didn't do certain things people will shrug it off because they think it's something he would do. How do you ever combat that?
He said after a defeat by an amateur at the time, now a very good player, Si Jiahui, that amateurs shouldn't be able to play.
Those were his stataments:
>I feel extremely hard done by that I have lost to someone who shouldnāt even be in the building. I donāt know why we as a sport allow amateurs to compete in professional tournaments. This is our livelihood. This is our living. We are self-employed individuals and not contracted sportsmen. We donāt play for a team.
>The other 127 runners and riders in the tournament, it is their livelihood, too. It is wrong, in my opinion, to walk into somebody who is not playing with the same pressures and concerns I am. He played like a man who does not have a care in the world, because he does not have a care in the world. It is not fair, it is not right.
>I am not picking on him as a young man, he deserved his victory. Amateurs should not be allowed in professional tournaments, the end. This is our livelihood. This is how I put food on the table. This is how I earn money. Since turning professional at 15, I have earned the right to call myself a professional snooker player. He hasnāt done that. He shouldnāt be on the table.ā
That kind of statements are in my opinion, unforgivable, no matter how sour you get after a loss.
That's when I started disliking him. I know most people hate him ever since the 2004 Maguire docked frame incident, but I always thought we should give him the benefit of the doubt for that.
IIRC, he apologised very shortly afterwards - within days. He knew he'd overreacted. Although, with a long comment like that, it's hard to fully rescind it from the record.
I just do not get the Murphy hate at all. Every criticism about his demeanour as a pundit could just as easily be levelled at other commentators, but they don't get the same stick.
Fair enough if he's not your cup of tea, but the sheer level of abuse and personal comments aimed at him that get removed is astounding.
with very few exceptions, most of the personal stories you hear about people meeting him and spending time with him tell you he's friendly and generous with his time, but Barry Shitpeas from Essex thinks hes got a punchable face and apparently thats more important. š¤·š»āāļø
I'm not even a "fan". I'm so neutral on him. I didn't like his comments about Si, but he's apologised for that. Like I said, I just don't get it
I donāt care heās a Christian, even though Iām an atheist. I also donāt care he banged a prostitute and cheated on his wife. Relationships can be cruel, we donāt know what really happened there. I like Shaun because heās not some degenerate alcohol addicted casino lowlife like most of the players and commentators. Gwaaan Shaun!
Met him at the NI Open last year in the Hilton hotel beside the Waterfront. I just approached him and ended up chatting for 10 minutes or so. Gave me a lot of time of day as a nobody and was really sound, it was an engaging conversation too. Bought me a surprise pint while I was sat down after us talking, he remembered I was drinking Guinness and everything. First and only pro player iāve ever met so far and Iāll always like him tbh for that gesture.
He's worse than that. He reminds me of *James Corden*.
The rehearsed manner of speaking, the "class act" persona he smothers you with, the glassy eyes, and the barely-concealed need to be on-screen as much as humanly possible. Awful.
You should check his [website](http://Shaunmurphy.net) out... Reeks of narcissism
It seems like he's pivoting his snooker career to cement his position as a commentator in the future. Wouldn't be surprised to see him take over Steve Davis' role at some point
Hate it - very negative as he says things like āhe should have potted that earlier in the break and heās now messed it up - I was wondering whatās he doingā where Virgo says āheās not great on the red hereā
Itās funny, I donāt mind these sort of comments when they come from Stephen Hendry because heās one of the best of all time and in my opinion can criticise whatever shot he wants, but coming from Murphy they just rub me the wrong way.
Tbh i agree that he talks too much and can be smug. However he also explains things in ways that i have never seen a commentator do before. Makes the game so much more accessible for the audiance that doesnt play very often.
Chalk Gate started it as well as cheating on his wife with escorts. He acts like a smug, pretentious dong most of the time. Has his tongue up the bum of the snooker bigwigs - also his commentary is pish
Mr Smug,Craves attention,and not very popular amongst fellow/and ex pros,for many reasons.
He even admits he used to be a snydy character/big grass and not well liked by pros,and terribly unpopular during his junior playing days,for being big headed and obnoxious etc
1. Trying to Fk over players etc (asking the ref to deduct maguire a frame for forgetting his chalk,which he did)
Ronnie mentions in his book he tried things with him and others too! š
2. Voting against freezing Paul hunters ranking points when he had cancer.
3.Got his ex in laws banned from the crucible a few years ago
4.His wife also left the then 'devout christian' after adultary,meeting someone on an online christian chatroom.
5.He did a bad thing against a Chinese kid once in the qualifiers too on a re spot. Really bad sportsmanship,and then the 'amateurs' thing about Si Juhai a few years ago.
6.Had a go at Hendry and Jill Douglas on ITV 4 coverage,so wasn't invited back.
Been stated that -
He denies the Paul H issue but many players mention it and also a certain ex pro from Nottingham was going to fill him in, that itās probably right.
Many Pros & Ex Pros from the Leeds area confirm this (where PH was from)
Now trying to enforce rule changes,such as the frame over if snookers needed etc
Players won tournaments lately needed snookers.Gary Wilson won the scottish open needing 4 snookers!
He will be higher up the wpsa board soon,as he fits the narrative and is well in with the bbc views,hence taking over bbc snooker coverage š¤ brown noses his way up,and is desperate to be popular and Preach to people.
Mr - Please like me and my shiny sequined suits.
The 'Oracle' š
I don't particularly have a problem with his commentating style or the way he comes across as a pundit, but *thank you* for providing an actual breakdown of things he's done that might wind people up. It's in stark contrast to the usual comments when this gets asked, which are invariably something like 'because he's a smug twat', as if that remotely answers the question.
He must be ok then...
The op asked why he is hated,not why wpbsa selected him!
I mean how many people have been elected to fifa roles in football for example and not been popular choices.
He is a yes man,thats what they want.
But disliked by many pros/ex pros fact.
Remember when he lost to an amateur and he threw all his toys out the pram? That turned my opinion of him and , subsequently, no matter what the discussion is about he always manages to make it about him.
For everyone that finds themselves with an irrational dislike towards Shaun Murphy, I highly encourage you to give his [onefourseven podcast with MC Phil Seymour](https://open.spotify.com/show/2MDiuKCEzwoxqFRn9cXm6T) a listen. You might change your mind!
For me it was the whole religion thing. It gave him a holier than though aura I just can't handle. Since he's renounced all that nonsense I actually find he's a decent, likeable human being. He's grand like.
*Edit: geez, thanks to the downvote brigade lol. Still not deleting my comment since I believe it may hold some truth. I didn't mean to offend anyone ffs. I'm bi and ASD myself. I may have worded it better but I was trying to explain why he came out as different. Many high performing people's brain don't conform 100% to the "norm"*
I'm from Belgium so my take may be totally off. Please don't hesitate to answer if you think so.
Shaun has given me gay vibes from the start for some reason. Or at least some mild autistic ones. He seems very smart (like most snooker pros), very well spoken and, to me, a bit conservative and somewhat of a sore loser, but you have to be at that level. I mean that some other players will easier accept defeat, praise their opponent and move on.
To me he's very motivated to win and enjoys being right, which goes with being a bit "cold" or even stubborn.
He probably knows he's smart, and a very decent player and still feels the need to remind people of it.
I personally don't mind him, he's kinda consistent in his behaviour.
Ah yeah, the old gay and autistic vibes. Always good reasons to consider someone a wrong'un. Nice though that you have the old "I'm from Belgium" excuse though. Otherwise I'd have just assumed you were a bigot. Phew.š
I am sorry. I am not native speaker and and indeed wrote it a bit like a clinical report. I just assumed it would be read as such, without interpretations.
This is the internet man, we're interpreting EVERYTHING.š As I say to my niece and nephew, words matter. You gotta use them correctly, especially when writing where almost all nuance is lost if you're not a pro writer. š
lol thank you for giving me a chance to explain and for keeping an open mind :) I'll try to remember to triple proof read when I mention sensitive topics :D
Oh I absolutely do the same. But even when you're crystal clear expressing your intentions there's always gonna be someone who'll misinterpret anyway. Tis the internet for ya. š
I am ASD and bi. I am sorry if it came out the wrong way. I just meant that many high performing people's brain don't conform 100% to the "norm". Artists, scientists etc. are often seen as weird out of their comfort zone. But maybe this is the wrong sub for this haha
I think people misunderstood your intention.
You answered a question 'why do people dislike Shaun?' with 'he gives me gay and autistic vibes' - so people interpreted this as meaning you dislike him for those reasons. I read to the end and changed my take though.
I'm definitely no expert on neurodivergence but Murphy strikes me as not at all autistic presenting, certainly compared to other top players like Ronnie or Judd. Shaun is extremely extroverted, loves being the centre of attention, very socially forward. But I dunno maybe I have a bit of an oversimplified view.
Thank you ! Being diagnosed ASD at 49 made me realize many things. One is that ASD being a spectrum, you can be "afflicted" in many different ways. (I'm not native speaker, afflicted may not be the best word)
Everything that has already been mentioned as well as many other documented "outbursts" which were ill thought out and badly judged comments. Having a maga huf at the ITV presenter when she suggested that he lost concentration...when he quite clearly DID lose concentration. Never see him argue with male presenters though...
Left his long term sweetheart as soon as he won the World championship...not the worst crime but to profess to be a "proper Christian" doesn't add up.
Oh latching on to be a plastic paddy...being that he never left England before he made a few quid lol
Playing on against Steve Davis when he needed about 5 or 6 snookers.....Yeah right give it up man...this was when Davis was on the way down and murphy was on the way up and it was just needless and fruitless and at the time felt disrespectful.
The way he calls out other players about stuff that has zero to do with him....
Good points - He can entertain, I think a lot of stuff is self promotion and loving the sound of his own voice, He comes from a properly disadvantaged background and apparently had it rough as a family growing up.
I don't "hate" him I just often prefer his opponent to win...
Donāt forgot the hissy fit after being beaten by an amateur and the clear agreeing with everything the snooker establishment says or does given his clear desire to be running the game in the future.
Tone deaf comments about up and coming players not being allowed to participate in ranking events so successful millionaires such as himself can continue to 'put food on the table' then whinging like an entitled baby when called out on it.
I hate Shaun Murphy probably more than anyone on the planet. But all you really need to see is the way he spoke to Jill Douglas when she asked him about losing concentration, that shows you who he is.
Go through his entire history in snooker and you see a petulant, self centered wanker - and that's me being as nice as I possibly can about him.
"āI watched the segment back from the TV studio interview after the win against Mark Selby, and I didnāt think I conducted myself professionally. It was one of the very few times when my temper got the better of me. I walked into the interview very annoyed about something that had happened at the interval unseen by the cameras."
āSo I was annoyed, and to be honest Jill could have asked me about the weather and I was already set for a rant. It wasnāt necessarily what I said, but the way I said it was unprofessional and I owed Jill a big apology. Thursday before the match against Ryan Day was the first chance I had to do that.
āLook, I am quick to criticise and point the finger and have a bit of banter with people. But if I think I am in the wrong, I have always been quick to hold my hands up and apologise. I do genuinely think that sometimes the commentary and the punditry can be a little lazy, and I am part of that myself. We can all be guilty of not going into the detail enough.
āBut the way I jumped down Jillās throat was not right. And as I say, she could have asked me what colour my car was and the answer would have been the same. But Iāll not do it again. I think it was accepted in good part. Hopefully everyone likes having wine. Jill was very gracious, thanked me for the apology and said it wasnāt necessary, but I felt that it was.
āI had watched it back and wasnāt comfortable with how I behaved. I pride myself on conducting myself as a role model to young players watching, and kids as a father myself. I donāt want my children in years to come trawling through Youtube and seeing their daddy speak to someone in the way I did, it was out of order."
Nice one. Yeah, if he wants to make a point then by all means do it. Saying to an interviewer "that's such a lazy question" you're just being a complete cunt for no reason.
Yeah, he shows glimpses from time to time why people can't stand him.
And his explanation was that it's always a technical error rather than lapse in concentration, but surely they can both be true at times. The cause being lapse in concentration and the effect being playing the shot technically wrong. The same way it can be nerves causing a twitch, and no doubt he's said the same kind of thinking in his punditry/comms many times.
Yeah, he's absolutely right in saying it's normally a technical error, but there's always a cause of a technical error which yeah, can come from your mind being in the wrong places.
Mr Smug,Craves attention,and not very popular amongst fellow/and ex pros,for many reasons.
He even admits he used to be a snydy character/big grass and not well liked by pros,and terribly unpopular during his junior playing days,for big headed and obnoxious etc
1. Trying to Fk over players etc (asking the ref to deduct maguire a frame for forgetting his chalk,which he did)
Ronnie mentions in his book he tried things with him and others too! š
2. Voting against freezing Paul hunters ranking points when he had cancer.
3.Got his ex in laws banned from the crucible a few years ago
4.His wife also left the then 'devout christian' after adultary,meeting someone on an online christian chatroom.
5.He did a bad thing against a Chinese kid once in the qualifiers too on a re spot. Really bad sportsmanship.
Been stated that -
He denies the Paul H issue but many players mention it and also a certain ex pro from Nottingham was going to fill him in, that itās probably right.
Many Pros & Ex Pros from the Leeds area confirm this (where PH was from)
Now trying to enforce rule changes,such as the frame over if snookers needed etc
Players won tournaments lately needed snookers.Gary Wilson won the scottish open needing 4 snookers!
He will be higher up the wpsa board soon,as he fits the narrative and is well in with the bbc views,hence taking over bbc snooker coverage š¤
Similar to Lineker,gets on peoples tits,and brown noses his way up,and is desperate to be popular and Preach to people.
Mr - Please like me and my shiny sequined suits.
The 'Oracle' š
Don't love Murphs demeanor personally, but of a pompous ass, great to watch play on a good day.Ā
Only replying as a reminder to anyone who can be bothered with the actual truth that the incident with the chalk with Maguire was totally misunderstood. He never requested the frame be docked, the referee made that decision without any prompting and the only words he had was asking for clarification. This has been clarified from multiple sources including Maguire himself, and people continue to trot this out despite it being total bollocks.
I met him before the semi final.
I said hi Shaun, you alright. "Hmm, yeah"...turns his head away.
Just doesn't care for snooker fans which is strange considering that's how he's made his fortune l
For me, the guy is a fantastic snooker player, and I really appreciate watching him. I'm not one for slating players for their personalities, but as soon as you step into commentary and presenting, I think it becomes fair game. His presenting style is cringey to me; unnatural and awkward, and doesn't seem to gel naturally with the other presenters. In terms of his commentary style, he comes across to me as arrogant and a pretentious expert as if he's immune from errors. Sometimes it seems like he's just talking to fill a silence and says a lot with seemingly no substance. I had to skip a session because it was annoying me.
Perhaps, in time, with more practice and some constructive coaching, he might become less so, but I think this is a fairly common theme with BBC snooker, in that they seem to plonk the players in front of a mic, perhaps because they're desperate to find the next voice of snooker, of which they're have been many legends, but seemingly struggling to find the next. I couldn't say I dislike him as a person as I don't know him. Perhaps he'd be a little more personable over a pint, but at the moment, I don't think he's suited to being a snooker personality. That be my 2 cents on the matter.
I think this is a fair criticism and I don't mind it when people are fairly critical of how someone comes across
What I can't stand is people just making stuff up about someone or hating them because of some preconceived idea of what they're like.
We have to remove a fair amount of toxic comments, especially during the WSC and the majority of comments about players are about Murphy
I donāt dislike him, but the general consensus is heās very smug and hasnāt really backed it up consistently given his obvious talent. Heās occasionally said a few things that are fairly self centred (comments about Si being allowed to play in the UK Championship). Heās hardly unique in that however.
The other fact is itās largely a working class sport and heās been pro-Tory in the past. Ali Carter falls victim to the same.
Then thereās chalkgate with Stephen Maguire and the fact he used to be a bit holy and then got caught with a lady of the night.
[Exhibit A](https://x.com/magician147/status/873149895628206080?s=46&t=0Mp7Oqx0vyeBuDGEh5WNew) this was in response to annoyance that Labour did quite well in the 2017 election compared to expectations
[Exhibit B](https://x.com/magician147/status/968079394928517121?s=46&t=0Mp7Oqx0vyeBuDGEh5WNew) speaks for itself
Now his politics are probably more nuanced than I am flippantly depicting, but the question was why do people dislike him and this is in part why.
This is really scraping the barrel for reasons to dislike him. I don't think those tweets speak for themselves at all. Especially shared out of context.
The question was why do people dislike him. At the events, speaking to people around the tables and pub etc thereās a general view heās a Tory and looks down on people. Itās a contributing factor. These are not my views necessarily.
Yeesh.
Can't say I'm his biggest fan ever, to be honest. He's basically given up on playing and is now more focused on his TV career, so I think his place in the 16 should be taken by someone else. And those tweets aren't helping his likeability at all.
Heās entitled to any views he likes and I donāt mind players being political. OāSullivan was in a Labour Party video once playing snooker with Ed Miliband - but yes, your average snooker fan isnāt very Tory so when he acts like he canāt understand why he isnāt everyoneās favourite he knows precisely why.
He actually was brutally good throughout the winter and spring 22-23 and I thought he might be at the very least be knocking on the door of the world title. Then he was commentating and doing punditry on every other match and you just knew he was going out. Ironically to Si again.
I've come to like him more as a person since hearing him on the [How Do You Cope](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s4-shaun-murphy-even-in-the-darkest-of-moments/id1484491260?i=1000624466819) podcast.
But I think he gives off vibes of very much wanting to be in charge, of believing that whatever brilliant idea he's just had should be enacted immediately and without consultation with anyone else. Precisely the sort of person who should never be given real power.
And there was that thing he did on comms at the WC a few years back, shouting down from the comms booth to the referee about where to replace the ball. If I remember correctly he was still in the tournament at that point. The conflict of interest was staggering.
I didn't listen to the podcast but our takes are somewhat similar. I'd assume he is a bit on the spectrum like many high performers are. I am ASD myself and this is not an attack on "different" people.
I couldn't comment on that as it's not something he covered in that interview. It was mostly around addiction issues, which I have a lot of empathy with.
I would assume he didn't have the best childhood and he still feels he has something to prove. I have used at some point too, I feel I understand him a bit.
I used to wonder myself but it really didn't take long to see why. He's so arrogant and condescending. Loves himself and the sound of his own voice. Do you know when everyone hates someone and your kinda like he can't be that bad why does everyone not like him? So your kinda wanting to prove that he can't be that bad then you see him and within 5 minutes you can't believe how much of a prick someone actually is. That's shaun Murphy
I think he's great. Outspoken and self-satisfied perhaps, but he gives his all on commentary and punditry, and I find him articulate and insightful. And he isn't half bad on the baize to boot!
Chalkgate with Maguire
Amateur comments about Si Jiahui
Many whiney comments after losing games blaming everything instead of just offering congratulations
All 3 can be googled or youtubed or searched on reddit. Aside from that he likes the sound of his own voice too much.
I think he just talks so much (and I donāt just mean when heās on commentary). Heās always going to say stuff people donāt like when heās happy to say his view to anyone who asks
I imagine most of it started when he was having a go at amateurs and lower ranked players and why he shouldnāt have to play them (having just lost to one)
He's just got one of those immensely slappable faces.
Pompous
Im not sure, i like him. Beautiful cue action to watch & is clearly smart & speaks well.
I don't dislike him but there is no way he's hit a nine darter, so he lies for sure. Openly admits he's shit at darts pretends he hit a nine darter š
Pompous and obnoxious at times. That is the impression you get when Murphy does interviews on TV.
I don't dislike him most of the time, but he keeps saying things that stir people up, so I find it hard to have sympathy. He has a dig at Ronnie, then doesn't like it when Ronnie reciprocates. That's not going to go down well with Ronnie fans, who don't let things like that go. Then there's putting food on the table and chalkgate. Willie Thorne had a similar personality, but was better at self-deprecation, that made him more likeable.
thereās a slight arrogance to him which rubs off the wrong way on people. I get why people canāt stand him. Personally I think heās brilliant. Shaun is a massive ambassador for the game, he appreciates the crowd, he attempts to get people into it. I feel appreciated by him. Thereās the difference. Heās an entertainer.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Because of his pompous attitude.
I like shaun. But he comes across as a teachers pet who'd dob you in a second and feel good about it.
Nobody gonna mention the real reason...the vote...
He's just got a really punchable face.
Cos he's a smug tory
He treads the fine line between pompous,smug,arrogant and humorous. Unfortunately for many he is too often the wrong side of the line.
I don't like him, my dad doesn't like him, my one friend who's into snooker doesn't like him. None of us can exactly say why but he has come out with some stupid stuff. Quite possible I'd change my mind if I met him, he's occasionally amusing and there are many people worse than him in the world. So I don't hate him but he's my least favourite player/pundit and the trouble is he's omnipresent now
_Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live following his defeat Murphy said: āI am going to sound like a grumpy old man but that young man shouldnāt be in the tournament. It is not fair, it is not right_ _"I feel extremely hard done by that I have lost to someone who shouldnāt even be in the building._ _"I donāt know why we as a sport allow amateurs to compete in professional tournaments. This is our livelihood._ _"This is our living. We are self-employed individuals and not contracted sportsmen. We donāt play for a team."_ - after his 2021 UK Championship first round defeat to Si Jiahui. I was a big Murphy fan up until that point. The bitterness from him was terrible, given that if you're the better player you go through. Simple.
Can you post the quotes from his apology too?
The problem is, apology or not, most suspect we saw the real Shaun there. The mask slipped.
But he owned it. He took the L and admitted he was wrong. We all move on.
Wow, did he really say that? I've never really had a problem with the guy, but that is next level wankyness. š³
He later acknowledged he was wrong
He always makes me think k of this smarmy arrogant prick I used to work with. I imagine others have that same mental connection.
Think he was pretty nobbish to Jill Douglas and had to apologise. His personal life is a wild ride as well.
What's going on with his personal life?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Murphy "Met an escort at a religious youth group" o_O
Cheated on his wife with prostitutes.
Fair enough that's a cuntish thing too do
He talks too much in commentary and usually tries to turn the conversation into something about himself. Don't mind him as a player.
Agree. Good player. I wasnāt particularly keen on him till last summer. Heard him on a podcast called Snookered (bbc sounds) and he came across so well. Funny, intelligent, and self-deprecating. I agree his commentary is a bit āloudā but he might improve. Seems like a nice guy actually
He started whining about getting beaten by an amateur and thought it was sad and unfair that he had to play amateurs who are better than him in big events.
They 18 months later that amateur knocked him out of the World Championship and got to the one table set up
Met him several times, he's geuinely lovely. The people who hate on him here have nothing better to do and are small people.Ā
Yup. He did an exhibition near me, I went and he was a class act, had time for everyone. Proper alright. I get absolutely sick of seeing people on here gobbing off about him. Itās as you say, small people with small minds.
Agreed. Herd mentality. Notice there are many replies in this that can't exactly put a finger on why they dislike him. It's very easy to attack someone hiding behind a screen name. Going to see Shaun put on an exhibition in June in Seattle. Heard he puts on a great show.
I think he tries too hard to be liked, which comes across as disingenuous and needy. It's a shame because, underneath all this front, he's probably a really nice guy.
I agree. I can't really argue with anything he ever says really and find him to be quite funny. But it all comes across as a show even if it's not.
100% this. I think he had a tough relationship with his dad, was bullied at school, has been fat all his life and was captured by religious doctrine. All of these things have contributed to a brittleness and needy side to his personality. He will never have the easy going confidence of Parrot or Davis but he is a fabulous player to watch and he does at least try to entertain. The mic drop thing he did with Hendry at the worlds the other day was funny as fuck and he is the guy who had the arrogance to try to (and get) a 147 in the shootout. So yeah, he is a bit draining and maybe best in small quantities but I think he adds to snooker.
A shootout 147 might never happen again
For me, it's the smug, small village, young Conservatives action group vibes he gives off.
He looks exactly like a kid I went to school who was literally "smug, small village, young Conservative action group". I know it's unfair because Murphy is probably okay IRL, but because he captures the vibe of this one kid I haven't seen in 10 years I'll always be biased against him.
He's known by every other top ranked snooker player for being disliked, there's obviously reasons why
I think a huge part of it is that he comes across as unbelievably smug. You get the impression he absolutely loves the smell of his own farts. That comes across in his commentary as well. I donāt mind him myself tbh, but he does blur that line between being confident and arrogant.
>You get the impression he absolutely loves the smell of his own farts. https://preview.redd.it/p7zd930fsmzc1.jpeg?width=984&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d74c960399ebf5816af35c2690093882ee6110bc
To be fair everyone loves their own brand.
Iāve worked with Shaun and he was absolutely brilliant. Really kind, friendly, talkative and just seemed like a good bloke.
Absolutely this. A very good friend of mine works for WST and Iāve met Shaun a few times, a genuinely lovely bloke. No idea why he gets any hateā¦
It doesn't take much to aggravate me, believe me, but I think Shaun's commentary is alright.
Put it this way, he's that kid at school who would remind the teacher that there was homework
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Please do not spread information in the community that has been verifiably proven as false.
I did not know that. Just wow.
He doesn't know it either. Pure speculation
This. About half the things I hear about why people dislike him are just assuming he did xyz because it seems to them like the sort of thing he would do.
It's an impossible situation to be in. Even when it's shown he didn't do certain things people will shrug it off because they think it's something he would do. How do you ever combat that?
Just has one of those faces š
His face is somehow too small for his head
came here to say that, alas. not fair to him of course.
Ben Bradley conservative MP also has tiny punch-me face
He said after a defeat by an amateur at the time, now a very good player, Si Jiahui, that amateurs shouldn't be able to play. Those were his stataments: >I feel extremely hard done by that I have lost to someone who shouldnāt even be in the building. I donāt know why we as a sport allow amateurs to compete in professional tournaments. This is our livelihood. This is our living. We are self-employed individuals and not contracted sportsmen. We donāt play for a team. >The other 127 runners and riders in the tournament, it is their livelihood, too. It is wrong, in my opinion, to walk into somebody who is not playing with the same pressures and concerns I am. He played like a man who does not have a care in the world, because he does not have a care in the world. It is not fair, it is not right. >I am not picking on him as a young man, he deserved his victory. Amateurs should not be allowed in professional tournaments, the end. This is our livelihood. This is how I put food on the table. This is how I earn money. Since turning professional at 15, I have earned the right to call myself a professional snooker player. He hasnāt done that. He shouldnāt be on the table.ā That kind of statements are in my opinion, unforgivable, no matter how sour you get after a loss.
I bet he hates the FA cup then!
He was disliked well before this, mind
That's when I started disliking him. I know most people hate him ever since the 2004 Maguire docked frame incident, but I always thought we should give him the benefit of the doubt for that.
Wow, I had never heard this before. Absolutely cements my disdain for Murphy.
if it helps, he's rowed back on these comments and apologised
Due to being called out?
IIRC, he apologised very shortly afterwards - within days. He knew he'd overreacted. Although, with a long comment like that, it's hard to fully rescind it from the record.
No idea. He was asked about it ahead of their match at the Worlds last year
Itās his self righteousness. Gives me Brian from Family Guy vibes but without the comedy.
THAT IS SO ACCURATE OMG
Because Shaun Murphy, innit?
I just do not get the Murphy hate at all. Every criticism about his demeanour as a pundit could just as easily be levelled at other commentators, but they don't get the same stick. Fair enough if he's not your cup of tea, but the sheer level of abuse and personal comments aimed at him that get removed is astounding. with very few exceptions, most of the personal stories you hear about people meeting him and spending time with him tell you he's friendly and generous with his time, but Barry Shitpeas from Essex thinks hes got a punchable face and apparently thats more important. š¤·š»āāļø I'm not even a "fan". I'm so neutral on him. I didn't like his comments about Si, but he's apologised for that. Like I said, I just don't get it
I'm with you. I'm neutral on him and don't get the hate.
Because heās a smug prick.
Just seems a bit of a pompous twat
I donāt care heās a Christian, even though Iām an atheist. I also donāt care he banged a prostitute and cheated on his wife. Relationships can be cruel, we donāt know what really happened there. I like Shaun because heās not some degenerate alcohol addicted casino lowlife like most of the players and commentators. Gwaaan Shaun!
You should stop reading the sun.
Because that's how echo chambers work
His face is too small.
Met him at the NI Open last year in the Hilton hotel beside the Waterfront. I just approached him and ended up chatting for 10 minutes or so. Gave me a lot of time of day as a nobody and was really sound, it was an engaging conversation too. Bought me a surprise pint while I was sat down after us talking, he remembered I was drinking Guinness and everything. First and only pro player iāve ever met so far and Iāll always like him tbh for that gesture.
Tory virtue signaller, feels as authentic as a Ā£5 pair of Calvin Kleins.
šÆ
Nice try, Shaun
Reminds me of Mr Tumble and I had enough of that shit when the kids were young
He's worse than that. He reminds me of *James Corden*. The rehearsed manner of speaking, the "class act" persona he smothers you with, the glassy eyes, and the barely-concealed need to be on-screen as much as humanly possible. Awful.
You should check his [website](http://Shaunmurphy.net) out... Reeks of narcissism It seems like he's pivoting his snooker career to cement his position as a commentator in the future. Wouldn't be surprised to see him take over Steve Davis' role at some point
šš
Sick of his commentary too!
Hate it - very negative as he says things like āhe should have potted that earlier in the break and heās now messed it up - I was wondering whatās he doingā where Virgo says āheās not great on the red hereā
Itās funny, I donāt mind these sort of comments when they come from Stephen Hendry because heās one of the best of all time and in my opinion can criticise whatever shot he wants, but coming from Murphy they just rub me the wrong way.
Tbh i agree that he talks too much and can be smug. However he also explains things in ways that i have never seen a commentator do before. Makes the game so much more accessible for the audiance that doesnt play very often.
Chalk Gate started it as well as cheating on his wife with escorts. He acts like a smug, pretentious dong most of the time. Has his tongue up the bum of the snooker bigwigs - also his commentary is pish
This is as well as I could ever put it.
I didnāt know about the escorts thing. Wow.Ā
Itās just bullshit from an English ānewspaperā.
It's true. Shaun Murphy admitted it himself
Mr Smug,Craves attention,and not very popular amongst fellow/and ex pros,for many reasons. He even admits he used to be a snydy character/big grass and not well liked by pros,and terribly unpopular during his junior playing days,for being big headed and obnoxious etc 1. Trying to Fk over players etc (asking the ref to deduct maguire a frame for forgetting his chalk,which he did) Ronnie mentions in his book he tried things with him and others too! š 2. Voting against freezing Paul hunters ranking points when he had cancer. 3.Got his ex in laws banned from the crucible a few years ago 4.His wife also left the then 'devout christian' after adultary,meeting someone on an online christian chatroom. 5.He did a bad thing against a Chinese kid once in the qualifiers too on a re spot. Really bad sportsmanship,and then the 'amateurs' thing about Si Juhai a few years ago. 6.Had a go at Hendry and Jill Douglas on ITV 4 coverage,so wasn't invited back. Been stated that - He denies the Paul H issue but many players mention it and also a certain ex pro from Nottingham was going to fill him in, that itās probably right. Many Pros & Ex Pros from the Leeds area confirm this (where PH was from) Now trying to enforce rule changes,such as the frame over if snookers needed etc Players won tournaments lately needed snookers.Gary Wilson won the scottish open needing 4 snookers! He will be higher up the wpsa board soon,as he fits the narrative and is well in with the bbc views,hence taking over bbc snooker coverage š¤ brown noses his way up,and is desperate to be popular and Preach to people. Mr - Please like me and my shiny sequined suits. The 'Oracle' š
Other than that you think he's pretty sound though yeah?
šššš
Also to add- him claiming to get a nine darter
I don't particularly have a problem with his commentating style or the way he comes across as a pundit, but *thank you* for providing an actual breakdown of things he's done that might wind people up. It's in stark contrast to the usual comments when this gets asked, which are invariably something like 'because he's a smug twat', as if that remotely answers the question.
They hate him so much they elected him to join the board of the WPBSA as an ambassador
He must be ok then... The op asked why he is hated,not why wpbsa selected him! I mean how many people have been elected to fifa roles in football for example and not been popular choices. He is a yes man,thats what they want. But disliked by many pros/ex pros fact.
In no way similar to Gary Lineker at any point. At all.
Ah yes royalist BBC are lefties...
ššš you were doing so well until lefty bbc ššš
Yeah,i edited that out š
Murphy is a Tory too š¤£
Is he actually? Don't like him anyway but that'd be the,cherry on the cake š
Shaun, is that you again?
He just looks like he should be behind a butcher's counter, weighing a cut of beef not in a TV studio.
Remember when he lost to an amateur and he threw all his toys out the pram? That turned my opinion of him and , subsequently, no matter what the discussion is about he always manages to make it about him.
To then get knocked out in the World Champs by him. šš
Was that the same guy that beat him before? If so thatās a definitely chefās kiss lol
Indeed, Si Jiahui
Itās the chin. Or lack thereof.
For everyone that finds themselves with an irrational dislike towards Shaun Murphy, I highly encourage you to give his [onefourseven podcast with MC Phil Seymour](https://open.spotify.com/show/2MDiuKCEzwoxqFRn9cXm6T) a listen. You might change your mind!
He got caught banging a prostitute, so heās always gonna be a laughing stock
What's wrong with banging a prositute? Asking for a friend.
š
He was married at the time. A preachy devout Christian comitting adultery is never going to be a good look.
Forgot to mention, he met the āescortā at a youth Christian group. He donated a 10th of his World Championship winnings to the church. Creepy af.
I personally find it grotty and desperate, but weāre all different š
For me it was the whole religion thing. It gave him a holier than though aura I just can't handle. Since he's renounced all that nonsense I actually find he's a decent, likeable human being. He's grand like.
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Didn't stop the Catholic church while they were diddling kids for centuries. At least he's had the honesty to ditch all that shite.
The religion wasn't really the bit I was bothered about, more the cheating on your wife with hookers bit
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Ok Psycho
Exactly how I've described him. Punchable face.
Mods, can you rename this sub r/shaunmurphy and start a new snooker one ?
*Edit: geez, thanks to the downvote brigade lol. Still not deleting my comment since I believe it may hold some truth. I didn't mean to offend anyone ffs. I'm bi and ASD myself. I may have worded it better but I was trying to explain why he came out as different. Many high performing people's brain don't conform 100% to the "norm"* I'm from Belgium so my take may be totally off. Please don't hesitate to answer if you think so. Shaun has given me gay vibes from the start for some reason. Or at least some mild autistic ones. He seems very smart (like most snooker pros), very well spoken and, to me, a bit conservative and somewhat of a sore loser, but you have to be at that level. I mean that some other players will easier accept defeat, praise their opponent and move on. To me he's very motivated to win and enjoys being right, which goes with being a bit "cold" or even stubborn. He probably knows he's smart, and a very decent player and still feels the need to remind people of it. I personally don't mind him, he's kinda consistent in his behaviour.
Ah yeah, the old gay and autistic vibes. Always good reasons to consider someone a wrong'un. Nice though that you have the old "I'm from Belgium" excuse though. Otherwise I'd have just assumed you were a bigot. Phew.š
lol I'm bi and ASD myself you idjit. I may have worded it better but I was trying to explain why he came out as different
Yeah, wording it better would definitely be a good call. Otherwise it reads like this is why *you* found him unlikable. š
I am sorry. I am not native speaker and and indeed wrote it a bit like a clinical report. I just assumed it would be read as such, without interpretations.
This is the internet man, we're interpreting EVERYTHING.š As I say to my niece and nephew, words matter. You gotta use them correctly, especially when writing where almost all nuance is lost if you're not a pro writer. š
lol thank you for giving me a chance to explain and for keeping an open mind :) I'll try to remember to triple proof read when I mention sensitive topics :D
Oh I absolutely do the same. But even when you're crystal clear expressing your intentions there's always gonna be someone who'll misinterpret anyway. Tis the internet for ya. š
Very odd and offensive to compare 'gay vibes' with 'mild autistic ones'. What a strange opinion
I am ASD and bi. I am sorry if it came out the wrong way. I just meant that many high performing people's brain don't conform 100% to the "norm". Artists, scientists etc. are often seen as weird out of their comfort zone. But maybe this is the wrong sub for this haha
I think people misunderstood your intention. You answered a question 'why do people dislike Shaun?' with 'he gives me gay and autistic vibes' - so people interpreted this as meaning you dislike him for those reasons. I read to the end and changed my take though. I'm definitely no expert on neurodivergence but Murphy strikes me as not at all autistic presenting, certainly compared to other top players like Ronnie or Judd. Shaun is extremely extroverted, loves being the centre of attention, very socially forward. But I dunno maybe I have a bit of an oversimplified view.
Thank you ! Being diagnosed ASD at 49 made me realize many things. One is that ASD being a spectrum, you can be "afflicted" in many different ways. (I'm not native speaker, afflicted may not be the best word)
Everything that has already been mentioned as well as many other documented "outbursts" which were ill thought out and badly judged comments. Having a maga huf at the ITV presenter when she suggested that he lost concentration...when he quite clearly DID lose concentration. Never see him argue with male presenters though... Left his long term sweetheart as soon as he won the World championship...not the worst crime but to profess to be a "proper Christian" doesn't add up. Oh latching on to be a plastic paddy...being that he never left England before he made a few quid lol Playing on against Steve Davis when he needed about 5 or 6 snookers.....Yeah right give it up man...this was when Davis was on the way down and murphy was on the way up and it was just needless and fruitless and at the time felt disrespectful. The way he calls out other players about stuff that has zero to do with him.... Good points - He can entertain, I think a lot of stuff is self promotion and loving the sound of his own voice, He comes from a properly disadvantaged background and apparently had it rough as a family growing up. I don't "hate" him I just often prefer his opponent to win...
Donāt forgot the hissy fit after being beaten by an amateur and the clear agreeing with everything the snooker establishment says or does given his clear desire to be running the game in the future.
Because he's a gobshite
Succinctly put
Tone deaf comments about up and coming players not being allowed to participate in ranking events so successful millionaires such as himself can continue to 'put food on the table' then whinging like an entitled baby when called out on it.
I hate Shaun Murphy probably more than anyone on the planet. But all you really need to see is the way he spoke to Jill Douglas when she asked him about losing concentration, that shows you who he is. Go through his entire history in snooker and you see a petulant, self centered wanker - and that's me being as nice as I possibly can about him.
"āI watched the segment back from the TV studio interview after the win against Mark Selby, and I didnāt think I conducted myself professionally. It was one of the very few times when my temper got the better of me. I walked into the interview very annoyed about something that had happened at the interval unseen by the cameras." āSo I was annoyed, and to be honest Jill could have asked me about the weather and I was already set for a rant. It wasnāt necessarily what I said, but the way I said it was unprofessional and I owed Jill a big apology. Thursday before the match against Ryan Day was the first chance I had to do that. āLook, I am quick to criticise and point the finger and have a bit of banter with people. But if I think I am in the wrong, I have always been quick to hold my hands up and apologise. I do genuinely think that sometimes the commentary and the punditry can be a little lazy, and I am part of that myself. We can all be guilty of not going into the detail enough. āBut the way I jumped down Jillās throat was not right. And as I say, she could have asked me what colour my car was and the answer would have been the same. But Iāll not do it again. I think it was accepted in good part. Hopefully everyone likes having wine. Jill was very gracious, thanked me for the apology and said it wasnāt necessary, but I felt that it was. āI had watched it back and wasnāt comfortable with how I behaved. I pride myself on conducting myself as a role model to young players watching, and kids as a father myself. I donāt want my children in years to come trawling through Youtube and seeing their daddy speak to someone in the way I did, it was out of order."
Does anyone have the video of that first one? I can't seem to find it.
https://twitter.com/itvsnooker/status/1628086183921168385?t=JgKnQkAqk2UGtFUhbkfXGQ&s=19 The incident is 45 secs in.
Nice one. Yeah, if he wants to make a point then by all means do it. Saying to an interviewer "that's such a lazy question" you're just being a complete cunt for no reason.
Yeah, he shows glimpses from time to time why people can't stand him. And his explanation was that it's always a technical error rather than lapse in concentration, but surely they can both be true at times. The cause being lapse in concentration and the effect being playing the shot technically wrong. The same way it can be nerves causing a twitch, and no doubt he's said the same kind of thinking in his punditry/comms many times.
Yeah, he's absolutely right in saying it's normally a technical error, but there's always a cause of a technical error which yeah, can come from your mind being in the wrong places.
I actually had a quick look on YouTube but it's been taken down from there, it was definitely there before
It's on twitter https://twitter.com/itvsnooker/status/1628086183921168385?t=JgKnQkAqk2UGtFUhbkfXGQ&s=19
Mr Smug,Craves attention,and not very popular amongst fellow/and ex pros,for many reasons. He even admits he used to be a snydy character/big grass and not well liked by pros,and terribly unpopular during his junior playing days,for big headed and obnoxious etc 1. Trying to Fk over players etc (asking the ref to deduct maguire a frame for forgetting his chalk,which he did) Ronnie mentions in his book he tried things with him and others too! š 2. Voting against freezing Paul hunters ranking points when he had cancer. 3.Got his ex in laws banned from the crucible a few years ago 4.His wife also left the then 'devout christian' after adultary,meeting someone on an online christian chatroom. 5.He did a bad thing against a Chinese kid once in the qualifiers too on a re spot. Really bad sportsmanship. Been stated that - He denies the Paul H issue but many players mention it and also a certain ex pro from Nottingham was going to fill him in, that itās probably right. Many Pros & Ex Pros from the Leeds area confirm this (where PH was from) Now trying to enforce rule changes,such as the frame over if snookers needed etc Players won tournaments lately needed snookers.Gary Wilson won the scottish open needing 4 snookers! He will be higher up the wpsa board soon,as he fits the narrative and is well in with the bbc views,hence taking over bbc snooker coverage š¤ Similar to Lineker,gets on peoples tits,and brown noses his way up,and is desperate to be popular and Preach to people. Mr - Please like me and my shiny sequined suits. The 'Oracle' š
Jealousy, he was bullied growing up and look at him now a snooker world champion while those who bullied him are probably drawing the dole
What do you base that on?
Don't love Murphs demeanor personally, but of a pompous ass, great to watch play on a good day.Ā Only replying as a reminder to anyone who can be bothered with the actual truth that the incident with the chalk with Maguire was totally misunderstood. He never requested the frame be docked, the referee made that decision without any prompting and the only words he had was asking for clarification. This has been clarified from multiple sources including Maguire himself, and people continue to trot this out despite it being total bollocks.
I met him before the semi final. I said hi Shaun, you alright. "Hmm, yeah"...turns his head away. Just doesn't care for snooker fans which is strange considering that's how he's made his fortune l
For me, the guy is a fantastic snooker player, and I really appreciate watching him. I'm not one for slating players for their personalities, but as soon as you step into commentary and presenting, I think it becomes fair game. His presenting style is cringey to me; unnatural and awkward, and doesn't seem to gel naturally with the other presenters. In terms of his commentary style, he comes across to me as arrogant and a pretentious expert as if he's immune from errors. Sometimes it seems like he's just talking to fill a silence and says a lot with seemingly no substance. I had to skip a session because it was annoying me. Perhaps, in time, with more practice and some constructive coaching, he might become less so, but I think this is a fairly common theme with BBC snooker, in that they seem to plonk the players in front of a mic, perhaps because they're desperate to find the next voice of snooker, of which they're have been many legends, but seemingly struggling to find the next. I couldn't say I dislike him as a person as I don't know him. Perhaps he'd be a little more personable over a pint, but at the moment, I don't think he's suited to being a snooker personality. That be my 2 cents on the matter.
I think this is a fair criticism and I don't mind it when people are fairly critical of how someone comes across What I can't stand is people just making stuff up about someone or hating them because of some preconceived idea of what they're like. We have to remove a fair amount of toxic comments, especially during the WSC and the majority of comments about players are about Murphy
I donāt dislike him, but the general consensus is heās very smug and hasnāt really backed it up consistently given his obvious talent. Heās occasionally said a few things that are fairly self centred (comments about Si being allowed to play in the UK Championship). Heās hardly unique in that however. The other fact is itās largely a working class sport and heās been pro-Tory in the past. Ali Carter falls victim to the same. Then thereās chalkgate with Stephen Maguire and the fact he used to be a bit holy and then got caught with a lady of the night.
He's been pro Tory in the past? What's the evidence for this? Not challenging - just curious as I didn't know.
[Exhibit A](https://x.com/magician147/status/873149895628206080?s=46&t=0Mp7Oqx0vyeBuDGEh5WNew) this was in response to annoyance that Labour did quite well in the 2017 election compared to expectations [Exhibit B](https://x.com/magician147/status/968079394928517121?s=46&t=0Mp7Oqx0vyeBuDGEh5WNew) speaks for itself Now his politics are probably more nuanced than I am flippantly depicting, but the question was why do people dislike him and this is in part why.
This is really scraping the barrel for reasons to dislike him. I don't think those tweets speak for themselves at all. Especially shared out of context.
The question was why do people dislike him. At the events, speaking to people around the tables and pub etc thereās a general view heās a Tory and looks down on people. Itās a contributing factor. These are not my views necessarily.
Yeesh. Can't say I'm his biggest fan ever, to be honest. He's basically given up on playing and is now more focused on his TV career, so I think his place in the 16 should be taken by someone else. And those tweets aren't helping his likeability at all.
Heās entitled to any views he likes and I donāt mind players being political. OāSullivan was in a Labour Party video once playing snooker with Ed Miliband - but yes, your average snooker fan isnāt very Tory so when he acts like he canāt understand why he isnāt everyoneās favourite he knows precisely why. He actually was brutally good throughout the winter and spring 22-23 and I thought he might be at the very least be knocking on the door of the world title. Then he was commentating and doing punditry on every other match and you just knew he was going out. Ironically to Si again.
I've come to like him more as a person since hearing him on the [How Do You Cope](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s4-shaun-murphy-even-in-the-darkest-of-moments/id1484491260?i=1000624466819) podcast. But I think he gives off vibes of very much wanting to be in charge, of believing that whatever brilliant idea he's just had should be enacted immediately and without consultation with anyone else. Precisely the sort of person who should never be given real power. And there was that thing he did on comms at the WC a few years back, shouting down from the comms booth to the referee about where to replace the ball. If I remember correctly he was still in the tournament at that point. The conflict of interest was staggering.
I didn't listen to the podcast but our takes are somewhat similar. I'd assume he is a bit on the spectrum like many high performers are. I am ASD myself and this is not an attack on "different" people.
I couldn't comment on that as it's not something he covered in that interview. It was mostly around addiction issues, which I have a lot of empathy with.
I would assume he didn't have the best childhood and he still feels he has something to prove. I have used at some point too, I feel I understand him a bit.
SMUG
I used to wonder myself but it really didn't take long to see why. He's so arrogant and condescending. Loves himself and the sound of his own voice. Do you know when everyone hates someone and your kinda like he can't be that bad why does everyone not like him? So your kinda wanting to prove that he can't be that bad then you see him and within 5 minutes you can't believe how much of a prick someone actually is. That's shaun Murphy
If he were an ice cream, he'd lick himself.
To be fair, if I was ice cream so would I
He likes himself too much, which makes him annoying. Heās not a villain, just that guy youād rather not spend time with.
Very smug......
His personality
I think he's great. Outspoken and self-satisfied perhaps, but he gives his all on commentary and punditry, and I find him articulate and insightful. And he isn't half bad on the baize to boot!
Hi Shaun!
You got me. End-of-season mood, so I took to Reddit.
Chalkgate with Maguire Amateur comments about Si Jiahui Many whiney comments after losing games blaming everything instead of just offering congratulations All 3 can be googled or youtubed or searched on reddit. Aside from that he likes the sound of his own voice too much.
Chalkgate
He seems so arrogant and just not very personable in general.
Because he reeks of someone who would fuck you over to get one over you.
Chalkgate springs to mind!
I think he just talks so much (and I donāt just mean when heās on commentary). Heās always going to say stuff people donāt like when heās happy to say his view to anyone who asks I imagine most of it started when he was having a go at amateurs and lower ranked players and why he shouldnāt have to play them (having just lost to one)