John Parrott has withdrawn from next week’s China Open, citing a back problem.
He will start next season outside the top 48 and therefore having to win three matches to qualify for the final stages of however many ranking events are staged (six looks the likely figure). He will also receive no prize money unless he wins at least one match in each event.
The question is, how much longer is Parrott going to continue?
Once a player starts sliding down the rankings, it doesn’t get much fun. The difference for John is that he doesn’t need to carry on.
He has his BBC work, after dinner speaking and other commitments and any back problem is likely to get worse as he gets older.
I get the feeling retirement won’t be far away. Maybe he’ll give it another season but I doubt he’ll continue much beyond that.
If he does put his cue away for good, he can do so as one of the all time greats.
To have won the world title at a time where Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White and Steve Davis were all playing top drawer snooker was a considerable achievement.
Yeah I've been thinking about it myself and agree that I can't see him going on for much longer. I know he can still turn it on every now and again but when I watched him at the EISS against Matt Couch a couple of weeks ago he was absolutely shocking to be honest. The only frame he won in the first session that I saw was a 64 minute epic and other than that he struggled to put any sort of break together and looked thoroughly fed up.
ReplyDeleteAll that after he had told people there in the reception just minutes before the start of the match that he was "really up for it."
I think we have seen the last of JP i cant see him carrying on next season doing all the qualifier's, a great player in his day and that first session in the 1991 world final against White was fantastic. He never missed a ball took the session 7-0 and went on to become world champion.
ReplyDeleteAs he showed by qualifying for China he can still make main drawers if his back allows him to play properly- I would like to see him have one more season and suggest he should see what condition his back is in come the autumn before making a decision
ReplyDeleteperhaps hes keeping his back good for the golfing season. keen golfer is Jaypee
ReplyDeleteI class Parrott alongside Ebdon and Doherty in the all time list.
ReplyDeletei put him just under doherty who for me is just under ebdon
ReplyDeleteI think he'll give it 1 more season before retiring depending on his back. If the injury stops then he may keep going. It'll be shame to see John go. A great guy.
ReplyDeleteYes, I hope he keeps going. If his back is not right then there's nothing be can do. He's a great guy as Sammy said. If he does retire, I hope he'll keep going with the BBC work.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:02 how can you put him under doherty when he has 3 more ranking title's than ken??????????? And two more than ebdon
ReplyDeleteby typing
ReplyDeleteebdon
doherty
Jaypee
:)
seriously, i wasnt just taking into account ranking titles when i formed my opinion. each to their own..
Anon 10:38 so what is your opinion based on?
ReplyDeleteI like Parrott, so I hope he carry's on for a little bit longer.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is, he's made millions from snooker and won more than most players, so he is an all time great.
Hang on, never mind that, where is Mr Hey You? I want to know more about the Fine Art Method aka Rantings of a Madman.
ReplyDeleteMr Hey you where art thou
ReplyDeleteI would put Parrott above Doherty and Ebdon but just off the list of all time greats.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:38 so what is your opinion based on?
10:44 PM
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all aspects of his play and the others
ive been around a bit and do know john (though not very well).
styles, opponents, type of player, bottle (overall - not just in certain case) and lots more encompass what i based my opinion on.
some will agree, some wont. its all about opinions on where you rate someone.
if you say who was factually the best id list them by titles etc as that is something comparable (relatively)....but just on opinion and all things considered id rate them as i said, though i would be splitting hairs if i said there was loads between any of them.
all IMHO
I admire JP for going to the qualifiers over the past few years, when he had work like A Question of Sport and BBC Snooker to pay the bills. I think it has kept him in touch with what the game is like for players now, and what the players themselves are like. Too many retirees in the media will lead to a lot of "faster cloths make breakbuilding easier" type comments. I'd like to think John will continue until he's relegated from the tour, because he has the best kind of pride: the kind that accepts that you won't always be the best, but that without bitterness towards your successors, you once were.
ReplyDeleteRuthie - xx
ReplyDeletewell said!!
What you have won is the most important yardstick when assessing greatness but I consider other things like influence, natural talent, and look at the context of the success.
ReplyDelete