2024 World Championships

The_Kew_Tour

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122104823#Comment_122104823

He was 0/15 at one stage. Potted about two in total

sligeach

Jones's long potting improved somewhat at points, and it was sporadic throughout. It was non-existent in the first 2 sessions, improved massively(from a base of 0, which wasn't that hard) at the beginning of the 3rd session. It went up and down throughout after that.

If it had turned up in the first 2 sessions, who knows what might have happened. He improved himself, in my view with the long potting, from a complete catastrophe, to maybe 50/50.

I remember focusing on Jones, and yet when the stats came up on BBC last night, Wilson was at 0% for long potting.

sligeach

No comments section on the BBC, I wonder why. Maybe because it would be full of people slating the standard of this year's Championship.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122104813#Comment_122104813

It's not that she was unwilling to put the money into a new venue, they just don't have it. Basic health care for older people and chikd social care takes up more and more of council budgets. Nearly 70% of the budget on average. Not their fault at all.

The whole discussion is incredibly one sided. I listened to the snooker podcast with Dave Hendon discussing the topic as suggested by a poster.

It was fine. It was fine and pretty much as you observed with Davis. The argument for staying is nostalgia because its been there for so long and... that's it.

Hendon talked about TV rights and how things could change if they moved venue. The "change" was a self contained argument where change itself was bad and didn't need to be explained in terms of why it was bad. Change itself was bad.

He also never once considered how it could be improved. That doesn't even factor into the equation. The reality is change is necessary. It can be difficult and a bit sad sometimes, but if done well, it would be good for the sport.

I presume snooker tends to have an older, more conservative fan base. And this is being g played out in front if us. . Nostalgia=good. Change=bad

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122105238#Comment_122105238

I don't know Allen seems to be hard to beat, given his new style change. Anyone who beats him has to earn the win.

John arse

The point I made about Allen was that he keeps saying himself about how good he is and can be world champion. He’s 38 years old now-no spring chicken, He's been to the semis twice in the world championship in twenty years. Obviously not as good as thinks he is?

Genghis

I got tickets to the Crucible next year, because for me, personally, I would like to be there one more time in case before it moves (for nostalgia's sake).

While personally nostalgic, I can also see a change is needed. I've been to the Crucible before (2105), and it is without doubt too small. As you approach the Crucible, you notice immediately how the event has outgrown the building with broadcast vans, the Eurosport studios, etc all appended to the building, literally bursting out from its usual size. You see how the Winter Garden is a very real extension of the Theatre, despite being hundreds of metres away from it. All the stuff in the Winter Garden that should be in the venue.

I can only imagine that behind the scenes of the theatre there is not really the room for the media, the event organisers, even the players and officials - let alone sponsors and fans. Not to mention the small playing area, the limited hospitality, etc, etc.

What was adequate 50 years ago is no longer adequate now, and I think it would be a positive sign to move to a better venue (however nostalgically I might wish it not to be so). A 'bigger, better' Crucible is one option, though probably unrealistic for many reasons. Another Sheffield venue is probably not realistic either.

I would like to think there is an opportunity to build a state of the art 3,000 seat venue configurable for 1,2 and up to 8 tables, if not in Sheffield, then somewhere in the north of England. Maybe near an international airport, a venue that could host the WC, but also its qualifiers, and perhaps 1-2 other top tier tournaments each year, along with Womens, Juniors, Seniors events. On the same site could be a coaching academy, a social side (hospitality / bar, maybe playing tables), a museum of Snooker, etc. This could be a home, or a HQ of the world game.

This is probably unrealistic too - World Snooker clearly don't seem to have the funds, or the ambition, to build it, and an non Olympic Sport is unlikely to be Government funded.

Failing the above, I think McManus pointed out that the venue for the Tour championship (Manchester Central) seemed to tick a lot of boxes - location, access, size, modern facilities, etc. That could be new WC only home if they want to keep it in England.

Mainly, I hope all this chatter is designed by Hearn and co to either up the ante on Sheffield / UK Govt, and/or to distract from the talk of a rival tour - and that whatever happens WST know that the WC should stay in the UK.

Snake Plisken

Stephen Hendry interviewing John Virgo. Some of you don't like him commentating but for me always enjoy his commentary on matches

https://youtu.be/xDiPgWlsHyg?si=WjqmFZXl8NVL6Ej3

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108413#Comment_122108413

Yeah I don't really mind any of them. Some are more critical than others. Saw a clip of Willie Thorne playing Hendry when WT died and it was interesting to see the commentators didn't criticise anything, no matter how bad. A safety shot hit the blue on the way to balk and they didn't mention it.

That was the etiquette at the time. Interesting to see how things have changed.

I thought Mark Allen was very good on commentary this year. Not sure I ever heard him defore

Say Your Number

Didn't hear much Dominic Dale for Eurosport this year, but any time I did he was doing awful giving out, maybe being knocked out the way he did affected his mood.

sligeach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108576#Comment_122108576

Losing 10-1 to the pretender Wilson will do that to you. Wilson lost 13-2 to Higgins last year. Maybe Dominic can use that as inspiration to come back and win the World Championship next year.

He can call himself Rocky Balboa too.

He irritates me so much. That's an article on BBC, I'm not clicking it. Wilson's "legacy" is that you don't have to be a great player to win the World Championship. He's proven that. In fairness, there's been several years where there's been handy runs for the eventual winner. Jones could have won that tournament if he cut out basic mistakes. What a story that could have been for so many reasons.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108511#Comment_122108511

I thought Robertson was very impressive. Somehow he manages to explain the shots that are possible, the manner in playing them, and how the particular player favours a certain shot - all while not being overbearing/talking too much.

Robert Jackson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122108413#Comment_122108413

Anyone who doesn't like Stephen Hendry is a idiot he is responsible for getting me into snooker when I was a kid

Sandor Clegane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122109872#Comment_122109872

Id of fancied Jones for the comeback had he not took on that crazy double, lets be honest at that stage Wilson was gone, all Jones had to do was not do anything stupid and keep the pressure on because Wilson was all over the place.

In fact Wilson was terrible the whole session, had he not fluked that black and been gifted that chance from the reckless Jones double it could of easily been 17-16, but even before that Jones had more than enough chances to go ahead.

I honestly don't think Jones appreciated how big an opportunity he had to win.

Snake Plisken

Post was more about Virgo but Hendry is great commentating. Sometimes didn't like Hendry when playing as he stopped Jimmy White. winning the illusive World Championship Have to say only one who really bugs me and talks way to much when commentating is Murphy

John arse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112347#Comment_122112347

Agree with that,Hendry commentary excellent for me anyway - and Murphy well as i said before he seems to just like the sound of his own voice?

Bobeagleburger

A world champion is still a pretender?

That's probably the dumbest thing I've read on the internet this week 😂

sligeach

From one clown to another. 🤡🤡

I'll stand by you. The Pretenders.

CalamariFritti

It's not always the best team/man/woman/turkey that wins a WC which is like a cup competition. The winner beat whatever was put in front of him on any given day and thats how it should be. That doesnt mean they are a lesser winner. Wilson isnt my favourite player either but give him a bit of respect. Whats he going to do? Say like I only beat Jones in the final can I have a rematch with Ronnie and Trump? Let's not be silly.

The Nal

Wilson has been in 2 finals, 2 semis and 3 quarters in the last 9 years. Well deserved.

Augme

I have more confidence in Wilson winning a other World championship than Luca Brezel.

Brian?

I don’t get the negativity towards Wilson. He’s not easy on the eye, but he’s been consistently winning or in finals for a decade. He’s not a “journeyman” at all.

Over the 17 days no one was more consistent. He was never really challenged until the last session of the final. I think he’ll win it again soon.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122109872#Comment_122109872

Jesus man. If you feel like this about snooker why bother watching and discussing it? I can’t stand watching Gaelic football anymore, so I don’t watch it or discuss it. It’s pretty simple.

If you think snooker is in a brutal state, move on. Or watch it and enjoy what you can. Constantly berating every single player and lamenting how bad the entire sport is is simply boring.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122114795#Comment_122114795

Yeah That's pretty much how I feel about it. He's probably not the best player in the world but he won the tournament so he's world champion. Fair play

Sultan of Bling

The same sh1te comes out every year on this thread.

Graeme Dott for example who won a WC and made 2 other finals gets slagged of every year.

We have a new one now with the current WC and two time finalist.

Bobeagleburger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122114878#Comment_122114878

Exactly.

Whinging for the sake of it thinking that other people care.

I'm not a huge fan of Wilson either but fair play to him.

Hotblack Desiato

It's a bit painful for those of us who were Jimmy fans back in the day, but you do have to respect the players who aren't the best on paper but still beat everyone in front of them over two weeks, and in the longest matches on the tour.

Although given the 13-12s we could have done with the matches being longer still 😉 maybe a tennis-style have to win by two clear frames rule? 🤣

On paper the draw didn't look too bad but too many of the players who were in form knocked each other out before the semis, often narrowly. Or players like Higgins won narrowly and were then wrecked for the next match starting the next morning. That's just the way it goes.