Cheeky John Higgins has revealed that Ronnie O’Sullivan knocked back an offer to become his coach.
Higgins, who started his quest for a fourth UK Championship with a comfortable victory against China’s He Guoqiang, admits that he’s starting to plan for life beyond snooker – and even joked with old rival O’Sullivan that he could follow Andy Murray’s lead by joining the Rocket’s camp. Tennis ace Murray last week joined Novak Djokovic’s team for January’s Australian Open., with the two having spent the previous two decades as rivals on court.
Like Murray and Djokovic, Higgins and O’Sullivan have battled it out on the baize since they were kids and enjoyed a healthy sporting rivalry at the top of the game. Asked if he could see himself joining into the Rocket’s camp for a world title bid veteran Higgins, 49, quipped: “I asked him last night and he knocked me back!
“You would love to be asked in a way. He’s an unbelievable champion. I think I’d have the patience to be a coach. I don’t know if I’d be a coach or a mentor. Who knows what the future holds in this game for a lot of us. I’m quite happy dodging about like I am at the moment.
“I’m going out to China a bit more doing some ambassadorial stuff out there which I’m enjoying. Obviously I’m still competing as well. You need to look at what the future might hold. I don’t think I could be a commentator and spend all those hours in the box. You’ve spent so much time playing the game, so I don’t think I could do that.”
But Higgins’ sole focus this week is trying to become UK champion for a fourth time. The wily Wizard of Wishaw has world No.1 Judd Trump in his way in a tasty last-16 clash this afternoon at York’s Barbican. Scot Higgins dominated the early parts of their rivalry, which has included two world finals. But ever since a crushing 18-9 defeat in the second of those showpieces on the game’s grandest stage, an excruciating third world final defeat in a row, Higgins has lost 10 of their last 11 meetings.
Dumping Trump out and adding a magical 10th Triple Crown major to his CV would banish the heartache of his near four-year wait for a ranking crown. And second seed Trump believes Higgins is sick of the sight of him.
The Ace in the Pack said: “I know I was sick of him at the start of my career so he’s probably sick of me now! “He probably feels a bit hard done by because I always play well against him. He’s probably thinking a couple of times he’s lost to me that if I’d have lost in the game before he could have won a few more titles than he has done.
“He’s been knocking on the door even though the titles haven’t come. It’s only taken me playing at my best or someone else playing at their best to stop him otherwise he would have had a lot more titles. When you have lost to someone a lot it is in the back of your head. “There’s that inner belief against him that I didn’t have in my early career. The biggest compliment I can give John is I know I have to raise my game against him.”