Snooker legend and reigning world number one, Ronnie O’Sullivan, has said that he “lost himself” for more than seven years as a result of drugs and excessive alcohol intake earlier in his career.
O’Sullivan has long been considered one of if not the greatest to have ever graced the game and still holds the joint record for most world titles in the modern era — second only to Joe Davis, who won 15 back to back from 1927 to 1946 — but it’s never quite been plain sailing for the 47-year-old.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4 on Thursday, 11, the Wordsley-born snooker star admitted, “there are massive gaps [in his memory], adding, “I lost myself for six, seven years and then I had to kind of put myself back together”.
O’Sullivan, who turned pro all the way back in 1992 when he was just 16, had an incredible start to his career but confessed that he struggled to retain significant chunks of it and was “not in the best spirits” during his early to mid-20s, famously checking himself into rehab in 2000.
As acknowledged by presenter Amol Rajan, his alcohol and drug addiction has been well-publicised over the years, but the record 21-time Triple Crown winner insists that going to rehab is the “best thing” he’s ever done.
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Noting some of his low points as his fluctuation in weight, dependence on “drinking and wacky baccy just to get through the day” and, obviously, being stripped of his Irish Masters title in 1998 after testing positive for cannabis, he said: “I lost my personality and confidence and needed to take substances just to feel like I could socialise”.
At his worst, Ronnie sadly experienced suicidal thoughts and recently said he never thought he’d make it to the age he is now; it was at that point in 2000 that he admitted himself into The Priory addiction and mental health facility. Thankfully, for the most part, he has remained sober and healthy ever since.
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However, as explained in his new book, Unbreakable (released on Thursday too), the challenge was not only overcoming his “addictive nature” but even just readjusting to social situations, admitting that he “had to learn to do all that stuff again” and now lives a quieter lifestyle.
“Anxiety started to affect me in certain ways, so it was like ‘how do I live clean?’, said O’Sullivan. “It took time but once I got there, I realised you have to carve out a different life for yourself. Maybe I’m not suited for X, Y and Z.
“My happy place is going running in the morning and I go out with my running friends, and I’m cool with that. Put me in an environment where there’s lots of people and I run for the corner.”
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He closed out the interview by stating that “rehab taught [him] happiness is an inside job” and he has truly believed in that ethos ever since and that he can now once again enjoy snooker as a form of “great escapism” where he can “feel relaxed and calm”.
Marc Skinner to stay on as Man United Women’s manager after FA Cup despite calls to be sacked
Danny Jones
Manchester United Women’s manager Marc Skinner is set to stay on at the club after signing a new contract extension following their historic FA Cup win.
The decision to keep him on has split opinion amongst the supporters as many have been calling for Skinner to be sacked for several months now following a difficult domestic season.
Man United Women lifted the Women’s FA Cup for the first time in their history this past Sunday, with an impressive 4-0 win over Spurs to prove the kind of football they can play at their best but, for some, it simply isn’t enough to make up for the performances in the Women’s Super League.
Nevertheless, the club confirmed that they have given the 41-year-old a new one-year deal, with the option to extend for a further 12 months.
As you can see, it hasn’t gone down well with everyone, as even despite the landmark piece of silverware it appears the ‘Skinner Out’ section of the fan base is still dead set on starting a new chapter.
WHAT?! That FA cup has clouded judgement here, he’s been subpar in the league😐 we can do better sorry
Many of those calling for a change in leadership aren’t even so set on moving forward per se either, as a good chunk of the suggestions are to simply bring back the previous Man United Women‘s coach and former player, Casey Stoney, who stepped down in May 2021 after more than three years in charge.
Having won the FA Women’s Championship title and promotion to the WSL in the club’s inaugural season after reforming following a 13-year absence, she still has a lot of fans around the club.
Meanwhile, Skinner’s side failed to make it through the Champions League group-stage qualifiers against PSG in October last year and can finish no higher than fourth if they win their final game of the season this weekend – and that’s only on goal difference and if Liverpool fail to pick up points in their closer.
Speaking on the contraction extension, Marc Skinner said: “It’s an honour to extend my stay at Manchester United. I’ve always felt at home here, with our excellent players, staff, and fans.
“Being able to secure the team’s first major trophy at Wembley was a real career highlight for me and another sign of our continued growth, on and off the field. Thanks to everyone who has supported me on this journey, and I look forward to creating many more winning memories together.”
Casey has signed a new long term deal with SD, she isn't going home anywhere.
His detractors have remarked, “This guy should have gotten the sack he is not the manager to take this team forward that FA Cup win has helped him scale through”, with another writing: “Ohhhhhhh no we never winning WSL then. This club is clueless”.
However, there are still plenty rallying to his defence, with several commenters congratulating him on the renewal, while others have been trying to find the middle ground.
As one user put it: “I don’t believe you can sack a manager after having won your club’s first cup final 4-0. But it’s very telling that it’s only a one-year extension. Let’s see what the future brings.”
The Red Devils take on title hopefuls Chelsea in the last game of the season and will be hoping to round off the year on the highest note possible following the jubilant scenes at Wembley.
What about you, Reds – do you think it’s the right decision?
Ex-Man United man Louis Saha says Old Trafford’s deterioration shows a ‘lack of respect’ for the fans
Danny Jones
Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has come to claim that the deterioration of Old Trafford is disrespectful to the fans.
The retired French forward, who represented the club 120 times and scored 42 goals during his time at the club between 2004-08, has come to the defence of the Man United faithful, insisting that the stadium is simply no longer up to the standard.
Speaking to Paddy Power earlier this week, the Red Devils old number nine said, “The state of Old Trafford shows a lack of respect to the supporters. They pay for tickets, create the atmosphere, and they need to have a better experience.
“The images of the roof leaking are ridiculous for those who are proud of the club, it’s unacceptable. It’s a bad sign that the investment has not been made in the right place at the right time.” In case you missed it, the Theatre of Dreams looked more like some kind of drowning nightmare after last week’s flooding.
“I’ve heard Gary Neville complain about it many times, and he’s been warning the club about it for a while”, Saha continued. “For it to get to that point, it was really embarrassing.
Flooding was just spotted in the stands but there were various reports and clips posted on social media showing interior leaks, including in the away dressing room.
The 45-year-old went on to say: “It’s symbolic, but it means a lot. For a fan that has paid so much for their membership and ticket, they haven’t been respected. It needs to be addressed – fans should not be seeing this.”
Fans have been complaining about various problems with Old Trafford‘s infrastructure for years now as despite being one of the most valuable football clubs in the world, Man United’s home ground and various other facilities are widely considered to be pretty outdated.
New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already intimated that he would rather build an entirely new stadium than renovate Old Trafford, especially since it has been estimated that it would cost more to repair and redevelop the existing structure than it would start from scratch.
There have also been plenty of mock-ups as to what a ‘New Trafford’ might look like should the prospective plans be greenlit. Mayor Andy Burham has already been appointed as part of the new stadium ‘taskforce’ and says it could prove to be the biggest regeneration scheme in the country.
Be it giving the iconic football stadium some much-needed TLC or providing the fans with an entirely new one, it’s fair to say the club can’t expect to return to their glory days by allowing Old Trafford to continue deteriorating and letting its legacy slip into squalor.