This is such a fun tournament, people like Maflin & Clarke are providing such a contrast from some of the old world champions with a traditional playing style . Maflin is just so full of confidence and going for shots most others would just not attempt . He could easily have won that match by a much more comfortable margin because he was definitely the better player
Redcafe Snooker
- Thread starter Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Start date
Williams and Bingham knocking them in like it's 2002.
You get the impression that both are probably quite happy that the crowd has been fecked off.
You get the impression that both are probably quite happy that the crowd has been fecked off.
What do you mean by this? Are you essentially singling out Higgins and Selby? Higgins is hardly a bore either..... Mark Williams plays some belting stuff in his laid back way.
In the long form game of the Worlds, convention tends to pay off... thus Ronnie hating playing Ebdon and more recently Selby.
Yan just made up the 3 snookers he needed in this frame... and then somehow missed a completely unobscured ball half the table away to leave himself needing snookers again. 
Commentators absolutely desperate for Trump to win. He will but has had plenty of let offs.
I didn't mean it in a bad way . People like Higgins are obviously legends but they are sort of from the old school where they take things on but don't try to force anything too risky while people like Maflin are trying to play in a pot first way . There is a reason that people like Higgins have won so much and that's that they are able to manage risk well.
Trump playing way below his level at the moment but all that matters is that he is in the last 8 . He is still the man to beat here and he generally tends to get better in tournaments with time
They've always seemed to want him to become some kind of golden boy of snooker. Maybe it'll stop in a couple of years when he's got Mane's hairline.
Yeah but players have been playing positive for years.... and people will play to manage risk continually as well, so really wasn't sure what you were getting at really. (Alex) Higgins wouldn't even get out of the qualifiers in todays game, he took anything on. You probably won't get a finer risk/reward player than Ronnie. Obviously he's influenced a fair few of todays players though.
He's my most hated player. Goes on like he is some kind of rockstar playboy type with his shit hair, shit spikey shoes, everything about him tbh. Looks like he belongs in a comedy show.
Not to mention his "naughty snooker" ... Wtf is naughty about his snooker. He's just shit, takes on a low percentage chance shot and fecks it up. Gets it right once in a while and everyone creams themselves.
Ding v O'Sullivan nicely poised for a grand finish. Shame one of them has to lose. They are two of my favourite players.
Think Kyren has gone one worse on the shitty hair.
Gets it right once in a while part cracked me up . Not like he is the defending world champion or anything and won 6 ranking titles in a season . The other players must be terrible
The hate Trump gets is I'm guessing the same hate Ronnie got when he started to win.
Old age gets to us all in the end.
Old age gets to us all in the end.
I don't recall Ronnie hate really - but being a bit of prat flyboy is a more modern thing. Their game styles are similar, but the attention seeking ways they go about thing isn't. Judd's an incredible talent. Bare in mind, Ronnie was coming through when everyone was booing serial winning at it's finest in Hendry - it's old age that made Hendry loved again.
Ronnie is going to luck his way to a win here, don’t think he’s been particularly good but doing enough to win.
I must be the only one watching the McGill/Clarke match. Give me two lads obviously bricking it and fighting over the last red for 40 minutes rather than blokes just walking around the table potting balls all day.
Crap snooker
Crap snooker
Ronnie is playing exactly as you would expect him to play at his age given the fact he’s also practicing much less. He’s still capable of blowing the table clear but there is a definite fallibility there these days. I wouldn‘t mind if he lost to Ding because Ding is a great lad and deserves to win this title at some point but I do dread the day we no longer get to watch Ronnie. Equally, I hope he knows when it’s time to call it a day (we are a little way from that still I think)
Missed a century clinching break blatantly on purpose. Typical Ronnie - called it the second he got to 70. In a era when Judd or Neil are pointlessly chasing 100's, Ronnie just casually gives up on them.
Very good last two frames from Ronnie you’d fancy him to beat Williams going by that finish. Such an incredible player when on form so fluid.
Interesting interview from Ronnie 
....really hope he can add another title to his name.
....really hope he can add another title to his name.That Ronnie interview was fecking hilarious.
Bit mean
It is ok, I suppose. But no fireworks. I guess this match kind of illustrates Ronnie's point in his interview that the up and coming players are a bit underwhelming.I must be the only one watching the McGill/Clarke match. Give me two lads obviously bricking it and fighting over the last red for 40 minutes rather than blokes just walking around the table potting balls all day.
Crap snooker
Which among the young ones really has it him to be the new star? Thought Yan looked to have something, but looking at his last two matches, he looks a bit jittery when facing the big shots.
Bit mean
You'd have thought he'd been watching this shite the other side of the curtain.
You'd have thought he'd been watching this shite the other side of the curtain.
Haha I switched on to the other match and it's 9-9 with Mcgill's maximum break in the match being 58 . How is that possible in the current world championship
That was great drama at the end but just proving Ronnie's point with absolute shambles in terms of quality. Nerves are expected in a tight match but some of that was absolutely awful
McGill v Clarke...25 frames, highest break of 78. Very poor quality stuff.
I love that kind of match for the drama, but the pair of them were absolute bobbins throughout.
Never seen a game where so many potting attempts would still have missed if the pocket was a foot wide.
Never seen a game where so many potting attempts would still have missed if the pocket was a foot wide.
Bit mean
He's bang on. People just aren't playing snooker that much anymore. The game could die a death in the next 15-20 years
Yeah he probably is correct but he did lose to a qualifier last year and one is guaranteed to be in the semi-finals this year.
He also doesn't necessarily need to say it - no one gains anything from it - but heaven forbid he wouldn't be the number one headline. He's like the Mourinho of snooker, has to be in the limelight all of the time, and the press will always fall for it to keep his fan club happy.
I think going forward that we will see more and more players from outside the UK pushing towards the top. Yan Bingtao has the best part of 2 decades to come as a top player and even continental Europe may have something to offer going forward with increased tournaments and exposure.
He also doesn't necessarily need to say it - no one gains anything from it - but heaven forbid he wouldn't be the number one headline. He's like the Mourinho of snooker, has to be in the limelight all of the time, and the press will always fall for it to keep his fan club happy.
I think going forward that we will see more and more players from outside the UK pushing towards the top. Yan Bingtao has the best part of 2 decades to come as a top player and even continental Europe may have something to offer going forward with increased tournaments and exposure.
Ronnie in belittling snooker shocker.
Thing is I get that he's earned the right to say what he says. But that doesn't mean he has to.
It's hardly going to help the players lurking outside the top 16/32 when the (arguably) GOAT is saying such things.
I think his time would be better spent, especially given his age now, trying to provide some mentoring and guidance to the younger players to ensure some sort of legacy, although what he's achieved already is a pretty good stab at one.
Think Bristow-Taylor in darts, there must be someone out there he can take under his wing and once one player starts to push on it will encourage the others.
Agreed, I’ve never liked his outbursts which is such a shame given he is easily the greatest ever. Ronnie has given everything to snooker, but in my opinion snooker has given everything to him. If it wasn’t for his snooker ability he’s be driving a fecking taxi round Essex for a living
I never liked these comments. I don't know, it just sounds petty and small-time to say X person would be essentially a bottom dweller only if he weren't the absolute best in the word at that one particular thing. Come on.
There's a ton of jobs you can be really successful at (and become a millionaire) without being the sharpest tool in the box. For someone to reach the top of a competitive profession like Snooker, let alone become the GOAT, it requires hard work, dedication and ambition. Talent alone is only a small part of the equation, especially in this game that doesn't require elite athlete genes. Applying those elsewhere would lead to success too.
Moving on... Ronnie's outbursts are often non-constructive. He's being honest here, but what he's saying is not helping anyone get better and if anything it's probably hugely demoralising as a young player to hear it. Sometimes it's better to say nothing if you have nothing constructive to say. But that's Ronnie I guess.
Bit mean
He has a point, not just snooker but sport in general I think there’s lack of quality players coming through, look at tennis, Novak, Rodger & Rafa are still the 3 to beat, football Messi & Ronaldo are still the top 2 players in their mid 30’s. Cricket Ben Stokes would be the only player I would have in the side that won the ashes in Australia (even though he has a lower average than Paul Collingwood). Darts still have Merv King & Steve Beaton in the worlds top 32 and they have been around since I can remember (over 20 years)What’s petty and small-time are Ronnie’s comments. You can play the straight card if you like, the reality is there’s a minuscule chance he’d have amounted to anything if not for the sport of snooker.....which he habitually turns round and shits on
Loved that interview!
Probably closer to the truth really - people are just generally ageing better. If these players are so 'amateur' - why aren't more of Ronnie's era picking up the easy paycheques being on the tour, given it's obvious a fair few still have the itch.
We're probably not far off some sportsmen going at it (properly, not like boxers chasing money) into their 50's. Brady's gonna 45 by the end of Bucs contract, who knows if he renews.
It's harder for new people when you aren't just facing the best of the previous generation anymore, but the best of the two previous generations. Fed-Novak-Nadal didn't have to compete with Connors or Lendl as well as Agassi and Sampras, Ronnie didn't really have to face off Davis or a Higgins at the same time as Hendry, White and his own generation..