World Snooker Championship: McGill can win it, says ex-manager

By Rhona McLeodBBC Scotland
Anthony McGill faces Shaun Murphy on Tuesday
Anthony McGill faces Shaun Murphy on Tuesday

Anthony McGill's former manager John Rae believes Scotland's last remaining hope in the 2015 World Snooker Championship can go all the way at the Crucible in Sheffield.

McGill will face Englishman Shaun Murphy in a quarter-final contest which begins on Tuesday at 10:00 BST.

"Murphy is a hard game but he's taken Stephen Maguire out and he's also taken Mark Selby out," Rae told BBC Scotland.

"He's the last Scottish player left and I think he's got every chance."

The match against Murphy will only be McGill's third ever game at the Crucible, having beating Maguire 10-9 in the first round and defending champion Selby 13-9 in the second round.

John Rae
John Rae managed Anthony McGill for three years

Selby also reckons the 24-year-old can take his crown.

Rae managed McGill when the Clydebank player first turned professional in 2010.

"We were together for three years and we used to go down to tournaments together. It was a learning thing and you could see him progressing.

"He was practicing with the likes of John Higgins and Stephen Maguire; you've got to be thrown in with these guys because they're the top players.

"He's done incredibly well. He's now coming into his fifth season and when me and Anthony were together I said it would take four of five years. He's probably one of the nicest boys you'll meet.

"He just loves snooker, practices six hours a day and now the dividends are coming through for him and he can lift it. He reminded me very much of Steve Davis; I always said that."

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