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How long will Ronnie continue to play?

Postby SnookerFan

I know some people are going to see this as a bit of a :zzz: topic, namely because at one part of his career he was threatening to retire every couple of months. But, since the UK Championship he hasn't seemed to enjoy playing at all.

I didn't watch the Ronnie vs Bingham match, I watched Murphy vs Wallace, but on all reports, he didn't look bothered. I saw the interviews afterwards, and even Bingham said so.

He played alright, I felt against Mark Allen. He was in his favourite arena, and Mark Allen did wobble a bit towards the end, but Ronnie when he's not bothered tends to give up, and it doesn't matter how badly his opponent is playing. He still lost. He was out in his first match in Newport, though I half expected that. I've rarely seen anybody play as good as Ryan Day did against Jimmy. I thought he'd win the whole thing.

Then came the German Open. An event Ronnie pulled out of.

It does look as those he's not interested in the sport any more, and has always had a love/hate relationship with it. But his distraction from the sport seems more consistent now, and he's down to his lowest rank in years. He obviously still likes entertaining the fans, and has been up for Power Snooker/Premier League/Shootout/Legends of Snooker events. But his hunger for real, bread and butter ranking events has been sadly lacking for months. What with his dad out of jail, and his kids taking more and more of his time, has he just got other concerns these days. He has won everything there is to win, on numerous occasions. What is their left to prove?

Or are we just reading too much into this? For some players it would be considered a slump in form, but for Ronnie we always seem to expect perfect play every time we see him. People were saying he was finished that time he had gone a couple of years without a ranking title, despite still keep winning the Masters and Premier League. Will Ronnie return to form at Sheffield? Or will he just slump out, without being interested again?

As somebody who tends to mutter; "Well, if you're going to retire, get a bucking move on", every time he promised it, I got quite skeptical and bored of posters going; "Oooh, is Ronnie going to retire?" every time he pretended he would. But somehow I just don't feel he cares any more.

What do other people think?

Re: How long will Ronnie continue to play?

Postby SnookerFan

Alright, it's been flogged to death over the years. <laugh> I just wondered if anybody else felt he was actually close this time, due to his actions rather then the broken retirement promises he keeps making.

Re: How long will Ronnie continue to play?

Postby Monique

When it's about Ronnie's mindset I'll stick with what himself says "Don't try to work me out ... I can't do it myself" ;)
Time will tell. That's all.

Re: How long will Ronnie continue to play?

Postby Wildey

Nat147 wrote:He`s practicing hard) So wait for a big explosion)

practice is only half of it he needs the desire for a fight that comes within im not sure he has it in him at the moment.

but we will see.

Re: How long will Ronnie continue to play?

Postby Rocket_ron

Wild wrote:
Nat147 wrote:He`s practicing hard) So wait for a big explosion)

practice is only half of it he needs the desire for a fight that comes within im not sure he has it in him at the moment.

but we will see.

yes desire

Re: How long will Ronnie continue to play?

Postby Wildey

they all practice but then under pressure their game fall apart....

if he will go to china that might answer a few desire questions and if hes there how will he play.

Re: How long will Ronnie continue to play?

Postby Monique

IF he's practising hard, then it means he has at least the desire to try.
I do believe his defeat in the Welsh, although to be expected, was a bit of a shock to the system. But will it be enough? and will it last? Always difficult to tell with Ronnie.

Re: How long will Ronnie continue to play?

Postby SnookerFan

Monique wrote:IF he's practising hard, then it means he has at least the desire to try.
I do believe his defeat in the Welsh, although to be expected, was a bit of a shock to the system. But will it be enough? and will it last? Always difficult to tell with Ronnie.


Ronnie could pick up a cue he was using for the first time, not practice and win the Worlds in April. I'd claim it was impossible to tell what he's going to do in a tournament.

But, it says a lot when this year there's at least two players (John Higgins and Mark Williams) I'd make more likely then him. Usuaully Ronnie is one of the favourites automatically, regardless of how he's been playing.