Post a reply

Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby Tubberlad

Well the title says it all.

I think this season is Matthew Stevens' last chance to turn things around...if his last chance hasn't already gone. We all know terrible things have happened him, but considering how much ability he has, he'll have to go down as one of the great underachievers, maybe even the greatest.

Ever since the losing the World Championship final in 2005, the one that got away, he hasn't looked sharp at all and his run to the final in Bahrain last year only showed glimpses of his talent. Didn't qualify for the Worlds in '09...is it over for him? He's hardly ancient, but surely his best years are behind him? Thoughts? (For the record I've nothing against him, he seems a very nice guy)

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby SavoMilosevic

Yeah, this will be his last chance. He must get back into top 16 and I still believe he can do it. However, we all know that the WC is his biggest dream and I think 2007 was his last real chance to win it. He'll need a lot of luck to reach the semis again, let alone win the tittle... But he is a nice guy and a talented player and I like watching him so I wish him all the best! Go Matthew! :)

Sorry if my English is not perfect.

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby Roland

He's not a top 16 player any more in my opinion. He has a remarkable amount of fans though I must admit and personally I'm very surprised at just how popular he is given the way he plays.

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby Tubberlad

Matthew Stevens has a very healthy fanbase for quite a few reasons. First of all, he is arguably the nicest person on the tour, don't know anyone with a bad word to say about him. Second of all, go back a few years ago and he was a very, very good player. In fact, of the serious contenders, I would have rated him as the most naturally talented outside of Ronnie O'Sullivan. Third of all, Matthew always had a very entertaining game, wasn't slow, was attacking, and above all, was very good at it.

Jimmy White hasn't played consistently well for years, but still holds on to his impressive fanbase. Matthew of course wasn't as good as Jimmy, but he was a very good player, and loyal fans will always stick by their favourite through thick and thin. <ok>

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby Cloud Strife

SnookerFan wrote:
Roland wrote:I never understood why Stevens got more fans than Williams


Why did Jimmy have more than Hendry?

Britain loves a loser.


This is bullocks.

Why does Ronnie have the most fans then? He's won more than any other active player. And those that do hate him do so for reasons other than his success as a snooker player.

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby SnookerFan

Cloud Strife wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
Roland wrote:I never understood why Stevens got more fans than Williams


Why did Jimmy have more than Hendry?

Britain loves a loser.


This is bullocks.

Why does Ronnie have the most fans then?


I have no idea. I'm not a fan of his.

Seriously, you tell me.

Why are people a fan?

They weren't of Hendry when he was winning everything.

It must be more than just his, admittedly awesome, talent.

I'll admit I find it him less annoying than I did five years ago. I wasn't upset he won on Sunday.

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby Iranu

SnookerFan wrote:
Cloud Strife wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
Roland wrote:I never understood why Stevens got more fans than Williams


Why did Jimmy have more than Hendry?

Britain loves a loser.


This is bullocks.

Why does Ronnie have the most fans then?


I have no idea. I'm not a fan of his.

Seriously, you tell me.

Why are people a fan?

They weren't of Hendry when he was winning everything.

It must be more than just his, admittedly awesome, talent.

I'll admit I find it him less annoying than I did five years ago. I wasn't upset he won on Sunday.


Even now after working with Steve Peters, Ronnie is still unpredictable, that adds a level of excitement and intrigue. Though that aspect has greatly reduced after the last 5 or so years, it's still there. This is something he has in common with Jimmy and Alex Higgins.

He plays with a fluidity that no one else can or has matched (at least in my opinion) and it's just "prettier" for want of a better word than other players, meaning it's more attractive to the casual fans.

And because he does have longish periods where he doesn't win anything, it doesn't feel like you're watching a machine. With Hendy, there was an expectation (rightly or wrongly) that he would always be there or thereabouts. Ronnie has enough barren patches and a long enough history of implosion, without a period of extended dominance, that a similar expectation has never had a chance to fully set in. Which also explains why so many of his fans, including me at times get progessively more nervous as he makes his way through a tournament.)

Or maybe that's all bullocks and he just has an ineffable X Factor that some people are lucky enough to have.

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby Pink Ball

Tubberlad wrote:Matthew Stevens has a very healthy fanbase for quite a few reasons. First of all, he is arguably the nicest person on the tour, don't know anyone with a bad word to say about him.

If the Sun can be believed, his ex-wife had a few bad words to say about him, if that's any help to your search.

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby SnookerFan

Pink Ball wrote:
Tubberlad wrote:Matthew Stevens has a very healthy fanbase for quite a few reasons. First of all, he is arguably the nicest person on the tour, don't know anyone with a bad word to say about him.

If the Sun can be believed, his ex-wife had a few bad words to say about him, if that's any help to your search.


You can't trust the date in The Sun.

Re: Matthew Stevens...a make or break season?

Postby Pink Ball

SnookerFan wrote:
Pink Ball wrote:
Tubberlad wrote:Matthew Stevens has a very healthy fanbase for quite a few reasons. First of all, he is arguably the nicest person on the tour, don't know anyone with a bad word to say about him.

If the Sun can be believed, his ex-wife had a few bad words to say about him, if that's any help to your search.


You can't trust the date in The Sun.

...so that's where I've been going wrong.