John Higgins has addressed his method to teaching as he continues his outstanding profession.
John Higgins and Ronnie O’Sullivan have been rivals for greater than 30 years (Picture: Getty Pictures)
John Higgins has declared that Ronnie O’Sullivan is the one participant who may conceivably coach him, regardless of acknowledging that the 2 aren’t associates. All through his legendary snooker profession, Higgins has largely gone it alone, selecting to not search the steerage of a coach or mentor.
Now aged 51 and nonetheless competing on the highest degree, the four-time world champion has no plans to change his method. Higgins has fairly moderately questioned who may presumably provide him any new perception into his personal sport. The only identify that springs to thoughts is likely one of the only a few gamers to have surpassed even his personal achievements – seven-time Crucible king O’Sullivan. Higgins mentioned: “I simply take a look at these nice champions and simply assume, who’s going to inform me once I’m on the market, what participant? Possibly O’Sullivan? I do not know.
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“I simply assume I might have extra expertise than different guys making an attempt to come back in and inform me. I feel I do know as a lot as I am ever going to know on this sport. In order that’s why I’ve all the time simply saved to myself.”
That mentioned, any prospect of a partnership between the 2 seems firmly off the desk, on condition that they continue to be rivals some 34 years after turning skilled on the identical time. The duo produced one of many standout matches of the current World Championship, with Higgins narrowly prevailing of their second-round encounter following a tense final-frame decider.
Whereas each males maintain each other within the highest regard – and share comparable respect for fellow ‘Class of 92’ member Mark Williams – they aren’t associates. The Rocket not too long ago advised TNT Sports activities: “I feel Mark and John are higher associates than I’m with them.
“I do not actually get near anybody on the snooker circuit, as a result of I do not actually dangle round tournaments. Nobody sees me. I might somewhat be down the health club or go working, or go to good eating places, whereas lots of the gamers hang around with one another.”
Higgins is in settlement that he and the Rocket had been by no means shut, as soon as telling the Speaking Snooker podcast: “I get requested about that and it is the identical reply I give. I do not actually know Ronnie in any respect.
“Whenever you assume all these years we have been on the tour, we have by no means actually been that shut, I may rely on one hand the quantity of meals we have had collectively.
“However I’ve obtained the utmost respect for him as a snooker participant, unimaginable participant and I feel it goes again to what I mentioned about Mark Williams. Going for a similar titles, you can’t be all that pleasant with one another. Respect after all, however being associates, nah. We’re totally different characters as properly, the three of us, completely totally different characters.”
Higgins wasn’t pleased with a controversial assertion from O’Sullivan (Picture: Tai Chengzhe/VCG by way of Getty Pictures)
Regardless of that mutual admiration, there have been occasional moments of rigidity away from the baize. In 2021, Higgins was left annoyed when O’Sullivan prompt kids should not hassle taking over the sport because it was not a “attractive sport” anymore.
The Scot hit again, saying: “I assumed it was a shame what he was saying. That he’d be saying to younger children, ‘Do not play snooker.’ I assumed that was dreadful for somebody nearly as good as that to take a seat there and say that.”
Whether or not associates or not, the duo will resume their legendary rivalry when the 2026/27 season will get underway.
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