'You're not in the conversation mate' – Ronnie O'Sullivan on snooker GOAT debate ahead of World Championship

Self-praise is no praise. Ronnie O'Sullivan has listened to various self-proclamations of greatness over the past 30 years, but feels his foes from yesteryear and the modern day must achieve a unique longevity and level of dominance to support their right to be taken seriously.

When it comes to the ongoing GOAT debate on the old green baize, O'Sullivan is wary of placing himself at the top of the pack insisting that the «experts and fans will decide that» and that a professional sportsperson should be «humble» enough to accept the wisdom of others. Ad/> The record 38-time ranking event winner is even more unconvinced when his fellow protagonists go public to give themselves a self-congratulatory pat on the back.

World Championship'I was emotionless' — Selby says depression took joy away from World win in 20164 HOURS AGO Neil Robertson enters the 46th World Championship at the Crucible Theatre as 4/1 favourite, narrowly ahead of O'Sullivan and 2019 champion Judd Trump (5/1) as the unremitting road to potting perdition and paradise begins in earnest on Saturday morning with defending champion Mark Selby (7-1) facing Jamie Jones at 10am. Despite having only once lifted the sport's ultimate event in 2010, Robertson considers himself to be one of the greats of the game.

O'Sullivan hits 60 not out – The snooker GOAT's unrivalled longevity Exclusive: ‘I've been the most successful player of all time’ – O’Sullivan on GOAT claim 'Mick even made money off it' – O'Sullivan on 25th anniversary of snooker's greatest break “I don't think you can really dispute that,” he said during the Gibraltar Open. “I'm the only person in the history of the game that has been able to do what I've done.