Shaun Murphy slams 'ridiculous accusations' of losing concentration after Mark Selby win - 'It gets my goat'

Updated 21/02/2023 at 22:13 GMT

Shaun Murphy came through a difficult match with Mark Selby to reach the last-16 of the Players Championship, but responded forcefully to suggestions that losing his concentration was the reason behind missing some simple pots during the encounter. Murphy said that notion "gets my goat" and that technical reasons were as much to blame.

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Shaun Murphy has slammed "ridiculous" suggestions that he had lost concentration during parts of his win over Mark Selby at the Players Championship.

Murphy came through 6-3 against the Jester from Leicester, but at one stage looked as if he would let slip his 5-1 lead, with Selby bringing it back to 5-3, before Murphy eventually got the final frame he needed.

The match came hot on the heels of his Welsh Open final defeat to Robert Milkins - a tight turnaround Murphy was also critical of - but despite prevailing, Murphy was angered by suggestions that losing concentration might have been responsible for his up-and-down play during the encounter.

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Speaking to ITV Sport, Murphy said: "I think accusing players of lapses in concentration is one of the laziest pieces of journalism in the world.

"For people out there in snooker land to think that at the most important part of a frame or match my concentration wanders, is ridiculous.

"There are quite some interesting technical reasons why you miss those balls.

"The one with the rest in the fourth frame - I hate straight shots.

"I remember Sir Nick Faldo saying 'the ball isn't supposed to go in a straight line'. It's complete rubbish [the suggestion players might be thinking ahead to their next shots].

"It's one of those things that gets my goat.

"You don't lose your concentration, there are always reasons why, you might be thinking about the cannon, but you are focussed.

"It's the most important game of the season, at this time you're thinking about Tour Champs, you're thinking about qualification. It's so important, to accuse players of wandering off is ridiculous."

At this stage Ken Doherty interjected, claiming: "It's not always technical that you can miss a shot; sometimes you can miss a shot because you're a bit nervous."

"Absolutely," Murphy replied. "And that's correct, but that's very rarely said, often we're just accused of wandering off, and I've had enough of it to be honest with you."

Murphy then went on to discuss his whistle-stop preparation for the Players Championship, having only finished his Welsh Open final match with Milkins on Sunday night.

"It's one of those really weird scenarios of this part of the season that you have to deal with," Murphy said.

Shaun Murphy of England chalks the cue in the quarterfinal match against Yuan Sijun of China on day five of 2023 Betvictor Welsh Open at Venue Cymru on February 17, 2023 in Llandudno, Wales.

Image credit: Getty Images

"I only found out when I was playing at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon [Monday].

"There's no way of shaping that any differently - that just isn't enough time.

"I'm only lucky that I played all week last week and my game was in good shape."

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