O'Sullivan critics having a field day

The fans who love to hate Ronnie O'Sullivan were out in force today.

He officially announced his withdrawal from the Shanghai Masters this morning because of personal problems.

And as usual, people were quick to jump on his back, just like they revel when he's knocked out at the Crucible.

There's an ugly love to loathe attitude towards him within the game, that seems to rear its head everytime he strays from the most accepted journey of a snooker player. Maybe it's because some people can't accept his attitude to the game is different from many others who play it.

This time round, World Snooker didn't exactly help him to defend his corner.

Yesterday they briefly published an article in error saying he'd withdrawn from the competition because of a back injury.

This was swiftly removed, but not in time to stop the cat coming out the bag before intended.

Ronnie, being his usual caviler self, then went on to make two centuries in his Premier League curtain raiser against Marco Fu, and when the article reappeared this morning, back problems had mysteriously developed into personal problems.

We can argue all day about the legitimacy of the reason that's been given. But quite frankly, it doesn't matter. It's not our choice whether Ronnie goes to China or not. It's his own decision.

It's been highlighted in various media sources that this will be the third ranking event Ronnie has pulled out of in China.

But it's certainly not my place to start inventing conspiracy theories about why O'Sullivan has missed so many events in Asia.

It could be a coincidence, or it might be because he doesn't like playing there.

What I'm more disappointed about is that the first major ranking event of the season will be played without either the current world number one or the reigning Shanghai Masters champion.

Considering the current low image snooker holds in the public eye, it's hardly an ideal scenario as Barry Hearn is trying to relaunch the sport.

But all this O'Sullivan criticism has to stop. Whether you like his demeanor or not, he's the most talented player the game has at the moment.

He hasn't won as much as in his career as his vast talents are capable of. But as much as we prod and poke at his attitude, he'll never change. He's not going to become a Steve Davis or Stephen Hendry.

In my own humble opinion, I think Ronnie needs as many ranking points as he can get to reclaim his world number one ranking this season. If I was him, I'd be breaking my back (excuse the pun) to go and play in Shanghai. I'd be determined to prove my doubters wrong.

But, critics has never been something that has bothered Ronnie before and I'm sure it won't anytime soon either.

The fact is that Ronnie's fans care more about his world ranking than he does. He's said it a million times. All he cares about is turning up, playing snooker and seeing how he does. He'll never get bogged down in the politics of the game. It's not his style.

So while I expect nothing to ever change, I don't see what these obsessive critics are achieving.

Ronnie won't be in Shanghai. I doubt he'll miss it, but it will miss him. Snooker needs players like O'Sullivan.