Trump's star on the rise, O'Sullivan's declining?

So Judd Trump wins the second PTC event of the year... hardly a major win, but significant in that it signals the end of his poor form since reaching the Crucible final, and silences a few critics who perhaps felt his focus has not been entirely what it could have been... blatantly ignoring the fact that he's a young guy who's just made an awful lot of money and is entitled to live his life.

Personally speaking, I love watching Judd Trump play this game. I didn't watch the PTC event, but his run at the Crucible was a breath of fresh air. Ronnie O'Sullivan had been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons throughout the year, as had John Higgins: what that meant was that both of snooker's best players of the last 15 years were drawing a lot of negative opinion, not exactly what Barry Hearn needed in his efforts to turn the game around.

Then came a tournament that felt more like a revolution than a championship. Okay, one of the old guard won the title, but the tournament was all about one man: Judd Trump. Credit Higgins' battling qualities, what else would we expect from one of the game's greatest players, but what Trump did at the Crucible cannot be understated. He played the game in a way that appealed to the masses, and sank pots that drew gasps of astonishment: over, and over, and over again.

Trump has apparently attempted to make himself out to be something of a playboy on his twitter feed. Some have poked fun at this, but I for one could not care less. All I know is that he's young, vibrant and, in my opinion, the most naturally gifted player I've seen with the exception of Ronnie O'Sullivan. But most importantly: he's enthusiastic.

Which brings me on to the next point: this has all been happening in unison with O'Sullivan's fall from grace. O'Sullivan remains a very good snooker player, and is still going to draw massive crowds. Credit him for what appears to be a more positive attitude towards PTCs thus far this season, but at the end of the day, he didn't play in Australia, and if this attitude towards non-UK events continues, his star will continue to wane. Now, I know nothing of O'Sullivan's personal situation and refuse to comment on it, but one this is undeniable: a lot of people don't like what's been happening. And from what I can see, he's now drawing a lot less publicity from this, while Trump's win last night was greeted with great enthusiasm.

So, has the baton been handed over? Has snooker found it's new box office hit? O'Sullivan always divided opinion. Personally speaking, I just loved watching him play, and didn't take a whole pile of notice of his antics because of how good he was. But some people did not even feel he was good for the game... I don't agree with that point of view, but it was one that existed. Trump is unlikely to split snooker opinion to anywhere near the same extent, which is a great thing.

Long may Judd Trump's profile continue to rise, and I hope he achieves great success in this game

I'm not sure he had poor form. Okay, he got knocked out early of the Austrlian Open, but I don't really count losing early in a PTC as an indicator of poor form. The matches are too short. There really hasn't been enough this season to indicate form.

Good win for Judd though. How long was his final win over Ding? 4o-odd minutes to win four frames.

my only problam with Ronnie has been the uninterested way he talks about the sport sometimes.

last thing you want is for the star attraction to say im bored, players are dull etc etc etc. that just gives the wrong impression what snooker is about .

its not enough really to do it on the table that just promotes his own style of game and by saying my way is the only way to play just undermines the sport as a whole.

ive always loved watching him play its fantastic and brilliant and i can understand the importance of that style of player...me for instance got hooked on Alex Higgins and his style ..but Alex and jimmy White after got passion for the sport i seldom have seen from Ronnie.

as for Judd its to early to say what impact he will have as a champion but the impact hes having as a player now is fantastic.

i think Snooker No Longer needs Ronnie as it did 4 or 5 years ago and that can only be good.

Hes still the biggest draw in the game IMO.

Maybe not to the extent he was 3-4 years ago but he still generates the most interest,opinion, debate and headlines whether its for good reasons or bad.

I think the rise of the Trumps, Dings, Lisowskis is a good thing for Ronnie as it is a fresh challenge for him to try and prove he can still mix it with the new generation of stars who largely grew up watching him and have modelled their game on him.

Lets face it, he was getting fed up facing the same old deadwood, journeymen and bores year in year out, so these similar type of opponents will be more exciting for him to play and be enthusiastic about.

Witz78 wrote:Hes still the biggest draw in the game IMO.

Maybe not to the extent he was 3-4 years ago but he still generates the most interest,opinion, debate and headlines whether its for good reasons or bad.

I think the rise of the Trumps, Dings, Lisowskis is a good thing for Ronnie as it is a fresh challenge for him to try and prove he can still mix it with the new generation of stars who largely grew up watching him and have modelled their game on him.

Lets face it, he was getting fed up facing the same old deadwood, journeymen and bores year in year out, so these similar type of opponents will be more exciting for him to play and be enthusiastic about.

but some are negative very negative and not good for the sport having the biggest draw being negative.

playing the deadwood is part and parcel of any sportsmen its up to him and other young players to send them down the river having Ronnie saying life as a pro is boring will not encourage younger players to come in to the sport to push the deadwood out to sea.

I was playing about with the projected ranking figures from Matt's pro snooker blog, realise that if you take away the 2009/10 points completely, Ronnie is down at about 25th place (Stephen Hendry would be 26th, but I expected about that) ... rather surprised. Plenty of time for him to stack up the points before the end of the season, but a little bit food for thought!

roy142857 wrote:I was playing about with the projected ranking figures from Matt's pro snooker blog, realise that if you take away the 2009/10 points completely, Ronnie is down at about 25th place (Stephen Hendry would be 26th, but I expected about that) ... rather surprised. Plenty of time for him to stack up the points before the end of the season, but a little bit food for thought!

great minds think alike

(u could have just looked at my thread on this to save you time though)

Ronnie =

SnookerFan wrote:Ronnie =

One thing for sure, I won't be missing his presence on the snooker tour to the same extent if Trump's career continues on this upward trajectory

Tubberlad wrote:

SnookerFan wrote:Ronnie =

One thing for sure, I won't be missing his presence on the snooker tour to the same extent if Trump's career continues on this upward trajectory

I wouldn't miss him anyway. We're acting like him acting petulantly, and skipping several foreign tournaments, is a new thing. He's done it is whole career.

Tubberlad wrote:

SnookerFan wrote:Ronnie =

One thing for sure, I won't be missing his presence on the snooker tour to the same extent if Trump's career continues on this upward trajectory

exactly its just new year new players it has happened before and it will happen again biggest draws are replaced.

Though, to answer the original question, it does seem that way doesn't it? We can't tell how people will feel a year or two from now, but Judd has made a massive amount of new fans. And people do seem to be slowly getting annoyed by Ronnie.

The commentators and analysists are lining up to praise Judd too. So I can't see his popularity declining now. We'll just have to see how Ronnie likes some kid coming up and taking his spot.

What we really need is Trump vs O'Sullivan at a major, that would really be telling of how the changing of the guard is or is not happening ...

Bourne wrote:What we really need is Trump vs O'Sullivan at a major, that would really be telling of how the changing of the guard is or is not happening ...

Though neither are my favourite player particularly, I agree. I've wanted to see them two play again since the World Cup. And not in some shot-clock, or PTC event. A best of nine at least, but preferably something longer.

It'd be interesting to see how the young up-and-comer competed against the old down-and-goer.

Bourne wrote:What we really need is Trump vs O'Sullivan at a major, that would really be telling of how the changing of the guard is or is not happening ...

its not in terms of changing of the guard more the face of exciting snooker.

Ronnie will thrive on playing the likes of Trump thats a challange for him so it will only say who the better player out of them two are..

im not looking for the next multi winner but the next box office.

Wild wrote:

Bourne wrote:What we really need is Trump vs O'Sullivan at a major, that would really be telling of how the changing of the guard is or is not happening ...

its not in terms of changing of the guard more the face of exciting snooker.

Ronnie will thrive on playing the likes of Trump thats a challange for him so it will only say who the better player out of them two are..

im not looking for the next multi winner but the next box office.

i guess the 98 world champs when Ronnie beat Jimmy in the QF would be classed as the last official changing of the guard as far as Peoples Champion / entertainer goes?

Don't think if Ronnie lost it would make him any less exciting, I think it would be more a changing of the guard than that, every sport needs new faces and goes through phases of change ... just imagine them both making the UK semi final, and Judd winning, then beating Higgins in the final ... that would be huge.

Bourne wrote:Don't think if Ronnie lost it would make him any less exciting, I think it would be more a changing of the guard than that, every sport needs new faces and goes through phases of change ... just imagine them both making the UK semi final, and Judd winning, then beating Higgins in the final ... that would be huge.

yes but it would be huge if any young player does it.

I really want Ronnie to whip Higgins ass in a couple of big games this season

nothing would please me more

talking of stars on the wane, Robbo seems to have fairly hut a downward spiral, has his golden period ended already. To be honest ive never rated him tha highly, a good potter but mentally suspect IMO and not a great all round game. Id suggest a combo of lucky/easy draws plus peaking during a transitional phase of snooker has helped him win so much, but hes coming 30 now so hes almost a veteran in some senses.

what i think we will get this season too whether its Guodong, McGill, Lisowski, Brecel or whoever is a young gun coming through qualifying and doing what Trump did in the 2008 Grand Prix in terms of making a real impact at a venue.

Witz78 wrote:I really want Ronnie to whip Higgins ass in a couple of big games this season

nothing would please me more

talking of stars on the wane, Robbo seems to have fairly hut a downward spiral, has his golden period ended already. To be honest ive never rated him tha highly, a good potter but mentally suspect IMO and not a great all round game. Id suggest a combo of lucky/easy draws plus peaking during a transitional phase of snooker has helped him win so much, but hes coming 30 now so hes almost a veteran in some senses.

Experience is still key, and you don't fluke a world championship ... but he was never going to be the sort of player who won 3/4 world titles, i've said for months and months he needs another major to back up his world win, but hasn't even been to another major final which needs to be addressed. He's still good enough, just lacking a bit of confidence perhaps ?

Witz78 wrote:I really want Ronnie to whip Higgins ass in a couple of big games this season

nothing would please me more

talking of stars on the wane, Robbo seems to have fairly hut a downward spiral, has his golden period ended already. To be honest ive never rated him tha highly, a good potter but mentally suspect IMO and not a great all round game. Id suggest a combo of lucky/easy draws plus peaking during a transitional phase of snooker has helped him win so much, but hes coming 30 now so hes almost a veteran in some senses.

bullocks

do you watch snooker i sometimes wander.

Robbo mentally suspect ? WTF is that bullocks about

His All Round Game is getting better

you can only beat the players that put other players out so explain how beating Higgins and Ronnie in winning ranking tournaments is easy ?

Robbos Possitional play takes a lot to be desired and when his Long game is off he can struggle but you talk utter rubbish

Wild wrote:

Witz78 wrote:I really want Ronnie to whip Higgins ass in a couple of big games this season

nothing would please me more

talking of stars on the wane, Robbo seems to have fairly hut a downward spiral, has his golden period ended already. To be honest ive never rated him tha highly, a good potter but mentally suspect IMO and not a great all round game. Id suggest a combo of lucky/easy draws plus peaking during a transitional phase of snooker has helped him win so much, but hes coming 30 now so hes almost a veteran in some senses.

bullocks

do you watch snooker i sometimes wander.

Robbo mentally suspect ? WTF is that bullocks about

His All Round Game is getting better

you can only beat the players that put other players out so explain how beating Higgins and Ronnie in winning ranking tournaments is easy ?

Robbos Possitional play takes a lot to be desired and when his Long game is off he can struggle but you talk utter rubbish

OK so you say his all round game is getting better but his positional play leaves a lot to be desired and if his long game isnt working he struggles

think your the one talking utter rubbish

hes almost 30, his all round game should be there by now, how long does he bloody want

ok all round game does include possitional

but most players got a department missing Ronnie has always been in his head others not quite good tacticly.

Robbo is good tacticly and getting better hes tough to beat these days ....if he could get it together with positional play he would be pretty complete.

judd trump is similar to Robbo his positional play is not the best but such a great potter but you cant continue to pot that why positional play is essential.

Well, I think O´Sullivan´s star is not declining by any means. He started this season winning 11 games (best of 7 ptc matches) on the trot. And what is important in my opinion, he still makes those brilliant brilliant breaks. For example this last week http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CYnbWon ... re=related

Typical O´Sullivan´s amazingly good break-building, and look how Stevens smiles when shaking hands. Tells a story.

No-one can breal-build like O´Sullivan, and that´s what makes his star so bright.

Trump´s star on the rise ? Let´s hope so !

I don't even need to click the link to know which break you're on about

mediter wrote:Well, I think O´Sullivan´s star is not declining by any means. He started this season winning 11 games (best of 7 ptc matches) on the trot. And what is important in my opinion, he still makes those brilliant brilliant breaks. For example this last week http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CYnbWon ... re=related

Typical O´Sullivan´s amazingly good break-building, and look how Stevens smiles when shaking hands. Tells a story.

No-one can breal-build like O´Sullivan, and that´s what makes his star so bright.

Trump´s star on the rise ? Let´s hope so !

That was a great break and he still pop's up with them every now and again.

However if he wasn't declining why hasen't he won a ranker in 2 years or a major in 2 1/2 years?

The difference is now other players have the belief to beat him and his A game is no longer gaurenteed to win him matches.

Sonny wrote:I don't even need to click the link to know which break you're on about

cos underneath the link it said Stevens smiles as he shakes hands with Ronnie after the break....