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Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby likelylad

guardian.co.uk home


Ronnie O'Sullivan riles World Snooker's Barry Hearn with Berlin no-show

• 'He was my flag bearer but he's dropped the flag'
• O'Sullivan has played exhibition matches in UK


Ronnie O'Sullivan, who has pulled out of an event in Berlin, playing in the Snooker Shoot-Out in Blackpool. Photograph: Craig Brough/Action Images

Ronnie O'Sullivan's withdrawal from the German Masters, which began in Berlin tonight, has been described as "very disappointing" by World Snooker's chairman, Barry Hearn.

"When I took over [last June] he was my flag-bearer but now he's dropped the flag," said Hearn, whose patience had already been tried by O'Sullivan's withdrawal from the Shanghai Masters, where he was defending champion, and 10 of the 12 new minor-ranking events, some without notification, absences which have contributed to him sinking to 10th in the rankings. He is already facing disciplinary action for some of his absences.

O'Sullivan is understood to have a medical certificate, which World Snooker has asked to see, but whatever may be the problem it did not prevent him playing a sellout online exhibition in Blackburn on Tuesday – when he and Jimmy White made six centuries in eight frames – or at World Snooker's One Frame Shoot-Out in Blackpool over the weekend, when he made two centuries and a 90 in four frames before losing in the semi-finals.

"I don't care if Ronnie doesn't play but what he can't do is enter and pull out at the last minute, without very good reason," Hearn said. "It's his face on all the posters in Germany; it's a very important tournament for us as we try to develop the European market and an awful lot of people are going to be disappointed he's not there. This can't go on. Ronnie's very likeable when he wants to be but he should start considering his future in the game and his responsibilities to it."

Tonight, the participation of Neil Robertson is also in doubt. "What with Ronnie and a world champion who's lost his passport, what chance have you got?" said Hearn, who was exasperated in November when Robertson got on the wrong train and arrived for a Premier League match in Llandudno with only five minutes to spare, one of his long list of such adventures.

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Witz78

Ronnie should just come out once and for all and admit he suffers from the same disorder that affected another person who the public either loved or hated.


Image

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Wildey

Witz78 wrote:Ronnie should just come out once and for all and admit he suffers from the same disorder that affected another person who the public either loved or hated.


Image

BAD HAIR DAY ???? :?

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Witz78

Wild wrote:
Witz78 wrote:Ronnie should just come out once and for all and admit he suffers from the same disorder that affected another person who the public either loved or hated.


Image

BAD HAIR DAY ???? :?


<doh>

hes also scared of flying and "Aint getting on no plane" :scared:

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Wildey

someone on Snooker Scene Blog sugesting Banning Ronnie from the Next Ranking Tournament :?

Thats a Great punishement he would be snake hissing him self laughing at that one rofl

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Wildey

Bourne wrote:BAN HIM FROM THE WORLDS

you know what thats the only Punishment he might not like.

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Bourne

Wild wrote:
Bourne wrote:BAN HIM FROM THE WORLDS

you know what thats the only Punishment he might not like.

No rubbish clock in the PL ?

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby SnookerFan

Firstly, I think Hearn should put his foot down with Ronnie. I couldn't care buck if he pulls out of PTCs, but he can't keep pulling out of serious ranking events at the last minute because he feels like it. Hearn should wipe his bottom with Ronnie's doctor's note as well. He's well enough to play on Saturday, he's well enough to play on Tuesday. He develops a serious condition on Wednesday, and manages to get himself down the doctors for a note on Wednesday? <doh> Tell him to snake hiss off Hearn.

Though it should be mentioned what a plank Robertson was. He's the world champion, and a non-national living in the UK. And what does he do? Loses his passport. :roll: :wave: He hasn't the history that Ronnie has, so I'd say give him a bollocking, and tell him you expect better.

And can we punish Murphy in advance? You know he's going to come out and make some comment in the press in the next couple of days. Murphy tells The Berlin Bugle that Ronnie and Robertson are a disgrace. :roll:

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Roland

It's pretty obvious really isn't it?

Stop putting his bucking face on all the promotional posters, then you won't be disappointed when the inevitable happens!

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby SnookerFan

Sonny wrote:It's pretty obvious really isn't it?

Stop putting his bucking face on all the promotional posters, then you won't be disappointed when the inevitable happens!


You would think wouldn't you?

Though, I guess the problem he faces is Ronnie is so wildly popular. Nobody else brings that level of interest. Unfortunately, they aren't going to get as many fans if they stick pictures of Peter Ebdon everywhere.

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Roland

Yeah because that's the alternative <doh>


Try Robbo, Ding, Selby, Murphy, Allen, Higgins, Williams

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby SnookerFan

Sonny wrote:Yeah because that's the alternative <doh>


Try Robbo, Ding, Selby, Murphy, Allen, Higgins, Williams


All of those combined are probably not the same draw that Ronnie is, unfortunately. It's a shame for the sport, but there are lots of casual fans that only care about seeing Ronnie and not the sport. Considering how much he pulls out, it's a very real shame.

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Roland

Well it's about time they started to associate them with snooker. I reckon across Europe they would be a big draw. Everyone is starting to know who they all are now. I heard the Snooker Legends with Ronnie and Jimmy did very well. Fair play to them but anyone who says that is sending a message to Hearn is living in cloud cuckoo land.

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Wildey

Try Robbo <laugh>

then he forgets which way to the venue ends up miles from where he should be rofl

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:Well it's about time they started to associate them with snooker. I reckon across Europe they would be a big draw. Everyone is starting to know who they all are now. I heard the Snooker Legends with Ronnie and Jimmy did very well. Fair play to them but anyone who says that is sending a message to Hearn is living in cloud cuckoo land.

whats the message dust down Dennis Taylor and John Virgo and seed them through to the venue <laugh>

seriously its time to re brand the face of Snooker and not to focus on one player.

Re: Barry Hearn on Ronnies withdrawal

Postby SnookerFan

Sonny wrote:Well it's about time they started to associate them with snooker. I reckon across Europe they would be a big draw. Everyone is starting to know who they all are now. I heard the Snooker Legends with Ronnie and Jimmy did very well. Fair play to them but anyone who says that is sending a message to Hearn is living in cloud cuckoo land.


Should've been five years earlier, if you ask me. Basing your sport around one player is folly anyway. Especially somebody like Ronnie who never liked travelling to play that much.