tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post5509407095574661513..comments2024-02-03T12:04:16.336+00:00Comments on SNOOKER SCENE BLOG: AIMING HIGHERDave Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-36672443536482038322008-10-18T12:54:00.000+01:002008-10-18T12:54:00.000+01:00Snooker should be compared to other sporting attra...Snooker should be compared to other sporting attractions when when debates like this come up..<BR/>Look at tennis for example....The top 100 players in the world do not have to worry about where they are going to get petrol money from to get to the venue!! The top 48 snooker players don´t either, but the rest cannot make a fair living out of it...It´s about time somebody took over the management of World Snooker and did something for these Geniuses, making the Fame and fortune of the game more interesting for the players.I am pretty sure the performances right through the rankings would step up a gear. Just a thought.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-23137932187745799122008-10-16T19:20:00.000+01:002008-10-16T19:20:00.000+01:00I think the negativity around the circuit and its ...I think the negativity around the circuit and its future has fed back into the players. Most of the best ones earn enough not to be too bothered trying to be the world No.1 - they'd rather go to Vegas and spend their earnings, or in the case of the older ones, enjoy time raising their young families. There is so little pride in snooker any more - how many of the current crop will go on to compete in their 50s the way Steve Davis has done? And behave in such a gentleman-like manner?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-7402865559776205212008-10-16T18:17:00.000+01:002008-10-16T18:17:00.000+01:00The major flaw in today's players is that they don...The major flaw in today's players is that they don't have the desire and work ethic to be the very best.I cannot see there being another Davis or Hendry in a long long time.<BR/>I think Williams and Higgins started the trend of not having to work your hardest to succeed.They have both had brilliant careers but should have achieved much more.Of course it is hard to criticise players that are amongst the best ever but if either/both had been as complete in their work ethic as Davis and Hendry then they surely would have won many more titles.<BR/>The subsequent generation of players has seen what you can achieve by not giving it 100% every single day and decided they prefer this easier way.<BR/>Fortunately it will only take one player to break this cycle and force the others to work harder but I have no idea who that will be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-13074262600504048732008-10-16T18:14:00.000+01:002008-10-16T18:14:00.000+01:00Clearly you are correct in this Dave. There was a ...Clearly you are correct in this Dave. There was a time when the winner of every tournament came from Higgins, O'sullivan, Hendry, Williams, Stevens, Hunter, Ebdon, Doherty or Lee. The standard any of them produced then,would be sufficient to comfortably win nearly every match now. The standard lower down is higher but many players temperament on big occassions seems to be questionable. I would go as far as to say that if Steve Davis, Jimmy White or John Parrot produced the level they achieved in the early 1990s they would have an excellent chance of winning this week with only O'Sullivan or Selby as competition for them. An on-form Reardon, Mountjoy, Taylor, Griffiths or Thorburn would also have every chance!<BR/>John HAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-54077875754449737252008-10-16T16:48:00.000+01:002008-10-16T16:48:00.000+01:00The problem is with Hendry,Higgins and williams no...The problem is with Hendry,Higgins and williams no longer the players they once were there is nobody good enough to force O'Sullivan to produce his best snooker on a regular basis in the way that Hendry did at the crucible this year<BR/>At the moment the only player anywhere near O'Sullivan is Selby <BR/>Although the standard seems to be getting stronger lower down the rankings, I think the standard inside the top 16 is weaker this season then it has been for a long time<BR/>I think we have seen evidence of that this weekAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-1492641784913629902008-10-16T15:47:00.000+01:002008-10-16T15:47:00.000+01:00I think part of the problem is that the "next gene...I think part of the problem is that the "next generation" of players such as Ding, Cope and Allen aren't as good as the generation before i.e. O'Sullivan, Williams, Higgins etc. The newer breed all have major flaws in their game, be it mentally, poor safety, or perhaps lack of confidence when on a bad run.<BR/><BR/>The big advantage the older brigade have is that they came through when the pro ranks were made "open". Perhaps this needs to happen again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-33631137890626624952008-10-16T15:44:00.000+01:002008-10-16T15:44:00.000+01:00Adding to that, who do you think is capable of ste...Adding to that, who do you think is capable of stepping up their game another level and raising their game to something like the level of the big four at their peak? If anyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-58731034436912417842008-10-16T15:41:00.000+01:002008-10-16T15:41:00.000+01:00Brilliant, brilliant piece Dave, absolutely could ...Brilliant, brilliant piece Dave, absolutely could not agree more and I've been saying this myself for at least six months now.<BR/><BR/>Yes the standard overall is better because now there are far harder first round matches than ever, but at the very top of the game it's not even close.<BR/><BR/>As you suggest, a few years ago when you have the big four of Hendry/ROS/Higgins/Williams with Hunter, Stevens, Ken, Ebdon all waiting to pounce should they slip up, the standard was as good as it has ever been. Indeed I think it would be hard to expect it ever to be that good again.<BR/><BR/>Now we really need the likes of Murphy. Maguire, Ding and Selby to step up and show that they are capable of forming a similar group. Personally I'm not sure that they can, though it will be interesting to see.<BR/><BR/>The fact though that Higgins and Hendry are in my view not playing anywhere near like their best and are still 5/6 in the rankings says it all to me.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06494676058343762566noreply@blogger.com