Shaun Murphy calls for drastic snooker rule change following Mark Allen comments - The Mirror

Shaun Murphy, who highlighted Mark Allen's alleged slow play at the UK Championship, would like to see something done to speed the game up and take the pressure off referees

Shaun Murphy has called on snooker to implement a shot clock after highlighting Mark Allen’s alleged slow play.

Murphy was on BBC commentary when he commented on Allen’s approach during his semi-final against Barry Hawkins at the UK Championship. Murphy had been knocked out by Hawkins in the previous round.

The 2005 world champion suggested Allen was taking extra time over shots in a deliberate effort to unsettle Hawkins, who still won the match before losing to Judd Trump in the final. Murphy’s comments got back to Allen, who hit back on X after the match.

Allen posted: “As for Shaun in comms. He’s absolutely entitled to his opinion on things but perhaps best to leave personal feelings out of the commentary box in future. All because I called out some of his recent BS."

Murphy responded to Allen’s barb on his Onefourseven Podcast, saying: “You know, I’m sat here with you right now, and I’m totally in the dark. I know as much as you know about it. I was disappointed to see his comments following the game.”

Murphy added: “It seems as if, judging by Mark’s social media output, that he has taken my comments about his game very personally. They certainly weren’t meant personally.

“I’m employed by the BBC to call the game as I see it, and that’s what I did. I don’t remember ever saying that there was anything wrong with what he did.

“I said he was perfectly within his rights, perfectly within the rules. And if I’m totally honest, I was watching in admiration because he was breaking down a player who the day before had slaughtered me.”

YOUR TURN! Should there be a shot clock in snooker? Tell us in the comments section.

Later on in the podcast, Murphy responded to a listener’s question about slow play after youngster Stan Moody was warned by a referee during the UK Championship qualifiers. To avoid putting officials in a difficult position, Murphy said: “I’d bring in a shot clock. And I’ve been saying this for 20 years, so I’m super-consistent on this.”

When his co-host Phil Seymour asked for a number, Murphy added: “30 seconds. I think a shock clock that is unemotive, unemotional – it can’t be swayed, it’s not open to opinion – takes all of the pressure off the referees.

“This section of the rules puts our referees in a terrible position where some of them get involved and warn a player who’s fighting. If we had shot clock, and you can negotiate on 30 seconds…

“Years ago, I got widely criticised for wanting a shot clock. Now the tide is starting to turn, not in totality, but it is starting to turn and I think, in years to come, we’ll see it become a thing.”

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