Larry Ryan: Saudi's golden ball a perfect gaudy symbol of excess

The Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker will take place in March and comes with all the usual trumpeting, such as a prize pool of a million dollars.

Saudi Arabia will host its first ever invitational snooker event with the introduction of a new golden ball which could increase the maximum break to 167, the World Snooker Tour has announced.

There’s a lot to be said for the geezers on Sky Sports News who keep an eye on transfers. They are in their element this time of year, naturally, but in general they are enthusiastic men. Existing in a perpetual state of excitement and ready to see the good in everyone, and imagine how every move will benefit all parties. Maybe they are the role models we need for a happier way of life.

Naturally, they were ebullient this week, the lads, insisting England fans should be “excited” now Jordan Henderson will be getting regular European football at Ajax. And if Kalvin Phillips can only get the move he needs for any kind of football, that state of mind ought to escalate to “very excited”. There was also a beautifully neat and tenderly understanding wrap-up of Jordan’s brief sojourn in Saudi. “The opportunity to grow the game didn’t work out.”