I hope he was in genuine discomfort and this clip is a short version of something much longer.
Redcafe Snooker
- Thread starter Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Start date
Williams in trouble now.
This Si geezer looks like he could go all the way. I think he might be Ding to become China’s first World Champion.
seems to be more of that type in snooker than ever before.Don't know who I dislike more, Murphy, or Carter.
Carter is just a grumpy weasel. Murphy is a pompous, arrogant, aloof, pretentious, braggart windbag.
Don't know who I dislike more, Murphy, or Carter.
Seeing bloody Si Juahui beat Mark Williams in a final frame decider just brings back the Ben Mertens qualifier all over again! 
Ben was so close to knocking out Si Juahui in the 3rd round of qualifiers - 9-7 up, then 40 point lead in the next one before losing. And the penultimate frame even worse - 68-0 up with Si Juahui already needing a snooker, before he got it, won on the black, and then won the decider.
So close to seeing Ben through and Si Juahui out - and now the git looks like he's on another Crucible run.
Ben was so close to knocking out Si Juahui in the 3rd round of qualifiers - 9-7 up, then 40 point lead in the next one before losing. And the penultimate frame even worse - 68-0 up with Si Juahui already needing a snooker, before he got it, won on the black, and then won the decider.
So close to seeing Ben through and Si Juahui out - and now the git looks like he's on another Crucible run.
I find the Welsh presenter on the BBC coverage, Catrin Heledd, quite hard work. She presents it more like she's doing Blue Peter or CBBC. Much prefer Hazel Irvine.
Hazel is fantastic, have a real soft spot for her. Unlike Shaun Murphy who is an arrogant porcine cnut.
Carter is a complete tosser. He's a Farage supporting, miserable moaning twat. Every time his opponent gets a fluke he screws his face as if the whole world is against him.
Murphy is harmless albeit his face is annoying
Murphy’s latest comments on Varfaei were the most blatant dog whistle loaded with xenophobia. If you look at the response it got on social media it’s all the gammons and flag shaggers praising him for it.
Shaun Murphy, Michael Van Gerwen, James Corden. Kill, Marry, Shag. Go...
Phil Taylor would have to top that list.
I've been a bit in and out but I have put it on every day to see who is playing. I haven't yet seen any of the World Top 3 (Ronnie, Trump or Allen) - guessing I have missed them? Are they all still in it?
The Rocket hasn't been launched yet.
Not dismissing your read but what did you make of Varfei's comments? Personally, I'm all for the expansion of the game/having big tournaments held in new locations. At the same time, I do like the fact that biggest comp in the game is at a relatively understated venue out of London. All sports benefit from having their historic venues - it's something that links their past, present and future.
Really enjoying the tournament so far - been some excellent games. Particularly liking Si and Lisowski, although it's a bit of a same one of him and Ding will leave the tournament so early.
I thought it’s Varfaei’s opinion and he’s entitled to it. Ronnie has the same opinion and he’s the GOAT, grew up in the UK and has played at the venue for 30 years.
Look it’s like marmite, it’s clearly not up to the task but it’s got a load of history behind it. Murphy isn’t short of opinions of every single subject so it’s massively hypocritical of him to discredit Varfaei’s opinion and his use of xenophobic language was cnutish but cnut is what cnut does and he’s a porcine cnut.
Great match with Jack and Ding. Good snooker for sure. I laughed when Jack was trying to open up a tissue paper - surely he could get a fresh one!
I get the history of it but he’s far from the first person to know it’s a shithole and Murphy should just cry quietly like the little bitch he is
My man
Only 1 non-UK player in final 16. Lowest for at least 10 years, when I got bored looking.
Jack!
Very good performance from him so far in qualifiers and then beating Ding.
A last 16 game between two qualifiers sounds surprising - but as its Jack Lisowski v Stuart Bingham then it could easily be two top 16 players.
Very good performance from him so far in qualifiers and then beating Ding.
A last 16 game between two qualifiers sounds surprising - but as its Jack Lisowski v Stuart Bingham then it could easily be two top 16 players.
Pleased about that in terms of very few Asian players in there (they'll dominate / own the sport soon enough anyway). Shame there's no one like Robertson and Brecel though.
Last edited:
Every year I hope to see Ding win his first World Championship. Every year another chance passes him by. It's never going to happen is it.
He hasn't made it past the second round in the last 6 editions, just a terrible record. Never say never I guess, but it feels like he needs some divine inspiration if he's ever going to win one. Looked inevitable about 15 years ago but alas.
Barry Hearn all but confirming the World Championship will move away from Sheffield.
This Barry Hearn fella doesn't half comes across as a greedy bastard. You can tell Eddie is his son.
Yep. Very worrying words.
Good interview in terms of they asked him awkward questions, but he couldn't have been much more clear that money talks and the (sooner rather than later) future of it is going to be with the Asian market and Asian based.
As I've said before it will kill snooker in the UK if we lose the World Championship.
It is the focal point of the sport and it's inevitable that once they've got the WC they'll go after the Masters as well (although Ally Pally seems to be a popular venue).
That will just leave us with the UK Championship out of the triple crown events.
With the time difference involved with events in Asia, the TV audience will dwindle (and it will probably leave the BBC and go to a subscription service as it's not on the protect list).
And with less and less exposure, and with prize money already well short of other sports people just won't bother getting involved with it.
Whereas now we're yet to see an Asian World Champion, in 20 years there probably won't be a European player in the top 16. They won't just settle for one event, they'll try and shift the tour around.
I always knew I'd live to see the day snooker leaves the Crucible but it won't make it any less sad.
The only thing that can save it now is for Ronnie to come out and say he wants it to stay because he's bound to get his way.
It is the focal point of the sport and it's inevitable that once they've got the WC they'll go after the Masters as well (although Ally Pally seems to be a popular venue).
That will just leave us with the UK Championship out of the triple crown events.
With the time difference involved with events in Asia, the TV audience will dwindle (and it will probably leave the BBC and go to a subscription service as it's not on the protect list).
And with less and less exposure, and with prize money already well short of other sports people just won't bother getting involved with it.
Whereas now we're yet to see an Asian World Champion, in 20 years there probably won't be a European player in the top 16. They won't just settle for one event, they'll try and shift the tour around.
I always knew I'd live to see the day snooker leaves the Crucible but it won't make it any less sad.
The only thing that can save it now is for Ronnie to come out and say he wants it to stay because he's bound to get his way.
Jackson Page age 22
All business talk, they asked good questions then just let him ramble his way out of it with no comeback.
I agree with all of that, apart from probably the last paragraph.
I think Hearn's aim all along, in targeting the Chinese / Asian market so heavily, has always been for it to take off there to the extent that it moves there and then probably sell it to them.
As far as I know, they've made no real attempts to address the ever decreasing snooker opportunities in the UK - such as by building snooker halls like Ding Junhui did for the Chinese players. All the long term aim has been about capturing and growing the Asian market - with a view, I've long suspected, and now as good as confirmed, to move it there.
I don't think any player vocally wanting to stay in the UK will make a difference as money talks. But it certainly helps the move from a PR point of view if the most vocal (Ronnie) is in favour of it. Which is annoying.
Fair, I hadn't seen his comments on it.
I think it would be good for the game to move to a new venue, although hopefully not Saudi.
What's to stop a breakaway? If the current WC moves to China and the vast majority of the UK players object, they can start their own tour. Just look at what happened to darts?
The obvious answer is money, but is there enough money in snooker to do what Saudi did with LIV golf?
The obvious answer is money, but is there enough money in snooker to do what Saudi did with LIV golf?
If it moved to China and there was a breakaway UK centric tour with the WC still held at the crucible you can bet your arse the porcine cnut Shaun Murphy won’t be playing at the crucible.
Ronnie looking extremely strong, I’ve already watched quite a bit and nobody has so far even come close to O’Sullivan in terms of quality, he just makes the game look ridiculously easy compared to all the rest.
Ouch at that Barry Hearn stuff.... I mean he's not entirely wrong, but it's gonna be wild when so many sports just going to be played as if were still coming out of covid with mild crowds who are heavily disinterested anyway.
Exactly how big is this bottomless pit of money, I still find it weird they've not made any move towards any of the big 4 American sports, yet Snookers now being eyed by the middle east.
Exactly how big is this bottomless pit of money, I still find it weird they've not made any move towards any of the big 4 American sports, yet Snookers now being eyed by the middle east.
Ronnie...
Ronnie is the reason why there is likely to be a rival tour forming. It's him and a few people he has formed a business with that are currently testing the waters of the opportunity to exit the current players contract and seeking other avenues and playing in non sanctioned world snooker events.
Apparently he sent a letter planning to challenge the legal validity of the current WST deal with the players, arguing it prevents them as self employed individuals, from seeking to find alternative playing opportunities which essentially makes them employees of WST.
The current deal means players have something like 12 weeks of the year where they are free to do other stuff, but given that is usually through the summer, when interest in snooker is far less to the fans, it doesn't really give much chance to play in anything else.
There is a bit of a power struggle going on to try and appeal to the likes of China and now Saudi to attempt to stave off the threat of a breakaway tour. This is why Hearn is now floating the idea of moving the WC away and offering bigger prize money etc, but not sure the players trust him or his son who is really making the decisions. Eddie has no interest in snooker, they just want to sell it off really to the highest bidder. World snooker is essentially up for sale.
Apparently he sent a letter planning to challenge the legal validity of the current WST deal with the players, arguing it prevents them as self employed individuals, from seeking to find alternative playing opportunities which essentially makes them employees of WST.
The current deal means players have something like 12 weeks of the year where they are free to do other stuff, but given that is usually through the summer, when interest in snooker is far less to the fans, it doesn't really give much chance to play in anything else.
There is a bit of a power struggle going on to try and appeal to the likes of China and now Saudi to attempt to stave off the threat of a breakaway tour. This is why Hearn is now floating the idea of moving the WC away and offering bigger prize money etc, but not sure the players trust him or his son who is really making the decisions. Eddie has no interest in snooker, they just want to sell it off really to the highest bidder. World snooker is essentially up for sale.
Barry Hearn has been involved in snooker in some shape or form for over 40 years. To say his son has no interest in snooker is unfair & incorrect. Not saying they’re not cnuts, but the Hearn mob have a snooker background.