Ronnie: "I can win at 60%"

O'Sullivan waltzed into the last sixteen of the Welsh Open on Wednesday, beating Ian McCulloch 5-1, but the former world champion is unhappy with his approach to the game, saying he needs a drastic change if he is to continue playing.

"I can play crap and still win tournaments. That's how good I am," O'Sullivan said.

"I'm not being big-headed but I can win events playing 60 per cent. I can cover up problems with instinctive snooker, but that's no good to me.

"Over the next 18 months I'm going to rip my game apart in the same way that I did after I lost to David Gray in the first round of the [2000] World Championship. I can't accept carrying on playing so badly.

"Unless I reach the standard I know I'm capable of I just don't enjoy the game at all. I don't know about other players, but titles, trophies and money mean nothing to me.

"If I mess up my game and can't pot a ball, so be it. In my mind I've got nothing to lose."

O'Sullivan's temperament has threatened to be his undoing throughout his career and following the latest high profile incident - when he conceded to Stephen Hendry in December's UK Championship - he was thought to be seeking help on his game.

But the man nicknamed 'the Rocket' refused to reveal who he was working with as he looks to rediscover a balance he is happy with.

"It's not a sports psychologist. I don't need one of those," he said. "I believe in myself and that's all that matters."