Malta Open

Guru Maith Agut

Doherty just won the Maltese Open. How he managed it I'll never know (considering how well young Higgins was striking the ball) but he seemed delighted, and not surprising considering his last major title win was 5yrs ago... Ah well, good luck to him but it pains me to watch him because he makes the simplest shot look difficult at the best of times. Maybe this will give him the confidence to go on and put in a decent challenge at the Worlds in Sheffield. Here's hoping..

denachoman

Guru Maith Agut wrote:

Ah well, good luck to him but it pains me to watch him because he makes the simplest shot look difficult at the best of times.

You obviously haven't seen him play much - Doherty is recognised by his fellow pros and by commentators as one of the most fluent break builders in the game and looks very comfortable in amongst the balls when he is on top form.

Congratulations Ken, brilliant performance and comeback. His match-winning break in the decider was one of the finest I've seen in a long time. Hopefully this will be the stepping stone he needs to get back challenging for the World Championships. He is back up to No. 4 in the provisional rankings and playing as well as he ever has.

Guru Maith Agut

denachoman wrote:

You obviously haven't seen him play much - Doherty is recognised by his fellow pros and by commentators as one of the most fluent break builders in the game and looks very comfortable in amongst the balls when he is on top form.

Well YOU really don't know much as I have seen him play on many an occasion... I don't care what professionals hold him in high regard, when he's on top form (rarely, as proved by not winning a ranking tournament in 5 YEARS) maybe he's alright though he is still not a comfortable player when in amongst the balls and under any sort of pressure. Do you play the game at all ffs? I have seen him in pro ams also and then he just about sees off his opponents and they would only be Division 1 league players from Ireland!! When you know what you're talking about come back and we'll have a real chat :rolleyes:
How many "pros" do you know that miss straight blacks off the spot to make 147s?? Point made!! Rant over..;)

eirebhoy

Guru Maith Agut wrote:

Well YOU really don't know much as I have seen him play on many an occasion... I don't care what professionals hold him in high regard, when he's on top form (rarely, as proved by not winning a ranking tournament in 5 YEARS) maybe he's alright though he is still not a comfortable player when in amongst the balls and under any sort of pressure.

When Doherty is on top form he's more than ok. In my opinion he is the best in the world when on top form. As you say though, its a rare occurance. The match this season against Higgins earlier this season was Ken at his best. Higgins is the form man this season and only Ken has managed to beat him.

Guru Maith Agut

eirebhoy wrote:

In my opinion he is the best in the world when on top form..

I concur with most of what you say except that. Lets compare three very different players for one moment:
Stephen Hendry - When in "top form" Ken couldn't carry his cue for him! He has won the World Championship 7 times, in 1990, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96 and 1999 and who has won 36 ranking titles in all with a total career earnings of £7,842,285. (World Class Player - FACT)

Ronnie O'Sullivan - When in "top form" makes centuries for fun and has ability to beat the best players in the world while playing with his left hand. Won World Champs twice, 2001 and 2004 and will do again in years to come as is still very young player as snooker players come. Has had maximum 147 (six times) in competition snooker and career earnings of £4,238,510. Also has 18 other Ranking Titles and the Irish Masters once and Benson & Hedges Masters twice under his belt (World Class Player - FACT).

Ken Doherty - Won World Champs and to date that seems to make him (in your eyes) the best player in the world .... I'm very sorry but a chap that can very rarely make a century break to win a frame outright, misses so many key balls during important stages in matches and hasn't won a title in 5 yrs (bar this one), doesn't in any way shape or form make him the " best player in the world" (and I'm quoting you)!!! His highest break in competition is 145 and he's credited with being the man who missed a straight black off its spot for a 147 maximum. Career earnings of £2,895,360. So considering he went pro shortly after winning the World Amateurs he has only won four other titles apart from the World Champs as I've mentioned: 1993 and 2001 Regal Welsh, 2000 Grand Prix and 2001 Thailand Masters. He's Irish and we won't knock our own sports personalities, but come on, get real!!

eirebhoy

We're both debating two different things here. You're looking at careers, I'm talking about when he's on top form (ie. When he's at his very best). Nobody would have beaten Ken the day he beat Higgins in the UK Championships. I posted on this forum after the match and looking back on the post now I'm reminded that Ken missed 2 pots in the entire final session (both of those after he had past the winning hurdle in the frame). Higgins was at his best (as he's been most of the season) but when Ken was at the table he wasn't getting off in a hurry. Higgins at his best this season would beat most players but his best wasn't good enough against Ken in the UK.

Did you see the Higgins match in December? If so, do you think any player would have beaten Ken that day no matter what form they were in? I doubt it. Because his safety play is so good, when he's not missing the pots he's simply too good and he wasn't missing the pots against Higgins.

I agree with your main point though (maybe I read it wrong in the first place). 98% of the time he's nervous on the table and you can never rely on him potting any type of ball. That's all down to confidence though, full of confidence he's unstoppable. Unfortunately he's only full of confidence 1 or 2% of the time. That's why he's so good at coming back. There's 0 pressure on him and he has nothing to lose. As someone who suffers terribly from confidence myself I know how he feels. The reason he missed the final black is down to the pyschological reasons I mentioned. I seem to be 10 times the player with a few drinks because confidence doesn't really effect me then.

denachoman

Guru Maith Agut wrote:

How many "pros" do you know that miss straight blacks off the spot to make 147s?? Point made!! Rant over..;)

Ya, that completely makes your point - choose the singlemost pressurized situation a snooker player could ever find themselves in as an example that he is not comfortable over a shot.

Doherty is one of very few players who, when he is on top form, is capable of living with the likes of O'Sullivan, Hendry and Higgins when they are on top form.

And yes I do play the game, and I would be more than willing to discuss the finer points of this matter over a few frames some night!

Guru Maith Agut

denachoman wrote:

And yes I do play the game, and I would be more than willing to discuss the finer points of this matter over a few frames some night!

Well maybe I'll take you up on that offer some time... Where do you play anway? Ever play in the Irish Leagues?

denachoman

Guru Maith Agut wrote:

Well maybe I'll take you up on that offer some time... Where do you play anway? Ever play in the Irish Leagues?

Used to play a lot when I was in UCD - Crosbys and Jasons mostly. Living in Meath now and just play casual snooker down the golf club. They have an inter-club league over the winter so I'm playing more now than I normally do. Made a few centuries when I played regularly but 50s and 60s would be a rarity nowadays. You?