orky wrote:I'm 99.9% sure Selby was just being honest when being asked the question. Nothing to do with jealousy or player x being liked or not being liked etc. I think all neutral snooker fans would agree with him. I know Selby is a something like 7 or 8 years older than Trump or thereabouts, but I'd much rather have Selby's career than Trump's. Absolutely no guarantee whatsoever that Trump will get near to, match or even beat Selby's records when he makes up the age gap difference or when both have retired. 4 world championships, 3 masters and 2 UK wins trounces what Trump has achieved so far and IMO at the moment Trump is not a true all time great. He's miles behind the likes of Selby Reardon and Williams let alone Davis Higgins Hendry and O' Sullivan. Thinking you are as good as you are doesn't automatically make you as good lol.
Of course Selbo has the better career atm, that's undisputable. But in 8 years time, Trump might match him.
orky wrote:As for the peak standard argument, that is another debate. You could argue Selby has played in the harder era as he turned pro sooner after the class of 92 did and Trump came along later. Selby has had to fight against slightly younger versions of class of 92 and the likes of Murphy Robertson etc who are closer to his age bracket. Judd has been fighting against far older versions of the class of 92 and the only great player in his age range is Ding who is an awesome player but seems to have disappeared from the top echelons of the game, sadly.
Well, you make a pretty good point, but you are talking apples and oranges.
Trump does have a higher peak, that hasn't got as much to do with who you are playing, but it's mostly about how heavy you can score and demolish the opposition. Selbo has always had to battle hard for his wins, he has never been able to blast opponents of the table the way Trump has. ROs and Hendry are the only other 2 that have done it.
So Selbo having to face younger versions of the class of 92 + Robbo and Smurf, means that he indeed has had to work harder to win his titles, but it doesn't influence peak form, an area where Trump clearly edges him.
orky wrote:I'd much rather have a so called lower peak standard level and win far more than have a really high peak standard level, play to that level once in a blue moon and not win the big ones consistently like the true greats. Ultimately having the higher peak level doesn't matter too much as it's the titles that count, and I'm not including the Gibralter Open lol. Selby is a mental giant of the game and that's where he gains a lot of my respect. Judd on the other hand is crumbling mentally where it matters most.
Trump is clearly not as strong mentally as Selbo, but he ain't weak either. IMO it also depends on who you are facing. Trump always fancies his chances against Selbo and sees himself as superior, that's why he manages to trounce Selbo most of the time, cause he doesn't fear him at all and plays relaxed. Whereas against Higgins, he has crumbled many times.
ROS always poops his pants against Higgins, yet he trounces Williams.
Life can be weird sometimes.