Shaun Murphy feels it is ‘really poor’ that Stephen Hendry admitted on punditry duty he had not watched women’s world champion Baipat Siripaporn play before, but said the seven-time world champion is not alone with his lazy attitude to the job.
Hendry is working with ITV4 at the Champion of Champions this week, where Baipat will take on Judd Trump on Thursday.
The legendary Scot was asked by presenter Jill Douglas how impressed he has been with the reigning women’s world champ, but Hendry admitted he has never seen the Thai star play.
Douglas was not impressed, saying, ‘oh come on Stephen’ and Murphy has echoed that sentiment, feeling that some pundits need to up their game.
Speaking on his Onefourseven podcast, Murphy said: ‘We’re singling Stephen out this time because he said it. He’s not the only person who’s said it. I think it’s poor, don’t you? I think it’s really poor.
‘When you’re in that position, and you’re stood in a studio, or you’re in commentary, you have to make it your business to find out a little bit about the people you’re going to be covering.
‘I thought it was poor, but there’s a few of them. He’s not on his own, and they seem to wear it like a badge of honour.’
Murphy stepped up the slaying of Hendry – maybe with tongue in cheek – suggesting the 54-year-old may not know how to research players even if he wanted to.
‘I don’t really get it. But Stephen’s old, he’s grumpy – he just probably can’t be bothered,’ said the Magician.
‘He’s got his YouTube channel, but does he know how YouTube works? He won’t know how to use it. He wouldn’t know how snooker.org works, he wouldn’t know his way around CueTracker. He’s never analysed any play from any player that he’s covering.
‘He basically got that job because he won seven world titles and that’s it.’
Murphy also wished Ronnie O’Sullivan the best after the Rocket pulled out of the Champion of Champions on Tuesday, citing a need to work on his mental health.
The world number one posted on social media: ‘Hi guys, just wanted to let you know I’m unfortunately withdrawing from the Champions of champions event tomorrow. Mentally I feel a bit drained and stressed and I want to look after my mental health and my body. I’m sorry to all the fans but I’ll be back stronger.’
Responding to the news, Murphy said: ‘I think you just have to hope he goes away, gets the rest he needs, and comes back stronger.
‘I think it’s great that in recent times, people have felt more confident about discussing their mental health. It is good to see that people feel free and able to talk about it.
‘I think it’s a real shame for the tournament, and I think it has to be said that he’s had a number of health concerns in recent weeks and months.
‘So I hope he goes away and gets things sorted. He pulled out of an event citing tennis elbow, and he pulled out of another event for something else.
‘This one has been for mental health concerns, so he’s going through it, isn’t he?’
Murphy plays his opening Champion of Champions match against Gary Wilson on Thursday afternoon, with the winner facing either Baipat or Trump later that day.
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