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The 10's: Who will be the main men?

Postby Tubberlad

The new decade of snooker is well underway, and in these very early stages it is Australia's Neil Robertson who has taken the initiative. There are plenty players good enough to challenge him over the next ten years, and although a quality top four similar to the late nineties and early noughties is unlikely, we are sure to see some quality snooker, and many big names emerging. I don't aim to criticise any players here, and I'm merely speculating... what actually happens is anyone's guess.

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Neil Robertson: What Robertson has in abundance is confidence in his own ability. He has played in six ranking finals and is yet to lose any. What does that tell us? Well, draw your own conclusions, but seeing as the only other men who have achieved this are Steve Davis & Mark Williams, it can only point to good things.

Robertson is a marvellous potter, and this has assisted his slightly wayward positional play. He actually topped the centuries list last year, which probably gives us an idea of just how good he is in this department. I would be stunned if Robertson doesn't take another World Title, and three for the decade is not beyond the realms of possibility. With one claimed already, he has had the most annoying of monkeys lifted off his back

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Ding Junhui: He hasn't covered himself in glory over the last few days, but Ding is a wonderful snooker player. I was lucky enough to watch him take out Ronnie O'Sullivan in a superb Northern Ireland Trophy final back in 2006, and from then on I've been convinced he'd take the Joe Davis Trophy, and more than once.

He has recovered well from his debacle at Wembley, and I honestly don't think confidence is a huge problem for him anymore. It's like this: if Ding hits form, he is generally good enough to win whatever tournament and beat whichever player he is faced off against. If he hits form at the Crucible, you can forget about mental blocks. They will fall, and Ding will be champion. Sounds easy, doesn't it :P

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Mark Selby: A man who frustrates. He is good enough, he can thwart the very best, but is just as likely to slip up against men he is well capable of putting away well. Thus just four titles to his name, and only one full-on ranking title.

Selby boasts a superb creative safety game, which is why I actually enjoy watching him play. His shotmaking is the best in the game, and his bottle is generally very strong too. He is good enough to reach the summit, and I think he will get there... but expect a very tough route.

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Shaun Murphy: We know how good he is, but his inconsistency is remarkable.

Can Murphy scale the heights of 2005 again? Yes. But he's got a long way to go

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Ali Carter: Make no mistake, he is good. You don't reach second in the World Rankings if you're a mug, and Carter is an example of great consistency.

Mentally, he has improved, but I still think he lacks that bit required to be the very best on the Planet.
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Mark Allen: Tough as steel, Allen can beat anyone, and, more importantly, believes he can do so.

Allen falls into the category of players who are capable of winning the World Championship, but will have to push themselves to their limit in order to do so. I think he's up for the challenge...

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Liang Wenbo: I can't see him winning a World Title, but he can certainly threaten, and should win a few rankers.

Wenbo is a nice little player, always does things in the right spirit and is incredibly attacking. Too much of each to really become a top, top player.

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Jamie Cope: Well, where do we begin? Just as likely to put in a shocker as he is to blow players away.

At this point in time, I wouldn't fancy Cope to win a World Championship, and I think he will become something of an underacheiver, considering his undoubted ability. He has plenty time to prove me wrong though, and ranking titles should come his way.

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Judd Trump: Yes, he has disappointed so far, and reminds me a lot of Matthew Stevens. Is he commited enough? Does he have enough bottle? Time will tell.

One semi-final at this stage is a disappointment, but a PTC win will do him no harm, and seeing as I love to watch him play (he reminds me of O'Sullivan in the way he flicks the cueball around with such natural style), I would like to see him do very well.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan: The best player of the noughties is on the downward curve, but if he hits form he is still capable of outshining every single player on tour.

The problem is, like all greats, the time comes where this level can be seen with expanding rarity. Is he good enough to win a fourth world title? Of course. Does he have the drive to do so? Possibly not...

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John Higgins: The man has been a wonderful player, nobody can take that away from him.

How have his recent troubles affected him? A fourth World Title is unlikely as far as I'm concerned, but I'm not going to write him off. Mentally, he is a fortress.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Tubberlad

Witz78 wrote:The Decies?? Who on earths calling it that?? Wont it be the teenies??

I looked it up :redneck:

As for Brecel, he's a bit young to really be kicking it this decade, is he not?

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Bourne

thetubberlad wrote:
Witz78 wrote:The Decies?? Who on earths calling it that?? Wont it be the teenies??

I looked it up :redneck:

As for Brecel, he's a bit young to really be kicking it this decade, is he not?

He'll be mid20s :chin:

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Witz78

thetubberlad wrote:
Witz78 wrote:The Decies?? Who on earths calling it that?? Wont it be the teenies??

I looked it up :redneck:

As for Brecel, he's a bit young to really be kicking it this decade, is he not?


I dunno about that, i predict snooker will become a young mans game soon and the old guard, 90s journeymen etc will be eradicated rofl

Brecels 15 and will surely make it onto the main tour for next season, hes without a doubt the most highly rated kid since Ronnie IMO and has a host of titles at junior and amateur level under his belt already, and i feel by around 2013 he will be in the top 16 and will begin to be a serious challenger for the titles.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Tubberlad

Bourne wrote:
thetubberlad wrote:
Witz78 wrote:The Decies?? Who on earths calling it that?? Wont it be the teenies??

I looked it up :redneck:

As for Brecel, he's a bit young to really be kicking it this decade, is he not?

He'll be mid20s :chin:

Good point...

I still haven't seen this kid play, but by the sounds of it he really is something else. Power Snooker won't tell us much unless he puts in a total blinder.

I sincerely hope he's going to live up to the hype...

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Wildey

Witz78 wrote:
thetubberlad wrote:
Witz78 wrote:The Decies?? Who on earths calling it that?? Wont it be the teenies??

I looked it up :redneck:

As for Brecel, he's a bit young to really be kicking it this decade, is he not?


I dunno about that, i predict snooker will become a young mans game soon and the old guard, 90s journeymen etc will be eradicated rofl

not going to happen is it unless younger players curb their natural game snooker is the only sport where experience counts for more than raw talent.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Witz78

wildJONESEYE wrote:
Witz78 wrote:
thetubberlad wrote:
Witz78 wrote:The Decies?? Who on earths calling it that?? Wont it be the teenies??

I looked it up :redneck:

As for Brecel, he's a bit young to really be kicking it this decade, is he not?


I dunno about that, i predict snooker will become a young mans game soon and the old guard, 90s journeymen etc will be eradicated rofl

not going to happen is it unless younger players curb their natural game snooker is the only sport where experience counts for more than raw talent.


has to happen sooner rather than later. The tours awash with guys in their late 30s and 40s whove been around since the early 90s. They cant go on forever. In the next 2 years there will be a changing of the guard and they will slide down the rankings.

If the influx of young talent in the early 90s managed to wipe out the legendary grinders of the 80s then i see no reason why these current young kids on the block cant phase out the old guard this time around.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Tubberlad

I think Witz is right actually...

I don't agree that experience counts for more than natural ability. You get a guy who can flick the cueball around like a boomerang, sees the shots, knocks em in, there's only so much a grinder can do. Once thay have a bit of temperament (note, I don't believe Trump has), they will have too much.

Skill counts for more than experience (in the case of journeymen) if you've got enough of it...

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Wildey

no they cant go on forever but then they will be replaced by current 20 something that will be 30 to 40 something with experience.

todays young players coming through are 1 dimensional to break in to the top bracket of players thats gone before they will have to curb their natural talent and attack game to make their way in the game.

they will always encounter players that will frustrate them they must deal with that.

over the next year or 2 im looking at someone like judd Trump to start to deliver on his promise with some quarters at the very least.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Wildey

thetubberlad wrote:I think Witz is right actually...

I don't agree that experience counts for more than natural ability. You get a guy who can flick the cueball around like a boomerang, sees the shots, knocks em in, there's only so much a grinder can do. Once thay have a bit of temperament (note, I don't believe Trump has), they will have too much.

Skill counts for more than experience (in the case of journeymen) if you've got enough of it...

not in snooker at top level it does tubber.

they all got as much talent as each other some play with flair others more cautious snooker is a sport where you can tie frames up and frustrate players in to trying impossible shots because they fed up.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby JohnFromLondonTown

I can't believe Mark Selby isn't in the winner's circle more, because that's what he is, a winner.

Top of me head, I'd say him, Shaun Murphy & with a bit of luck, John Higgins.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Wildey

to answer witz point regarding young players of the 90s they had more tactical Know-how about their game.

Ronnie said of Trump hes more atacking than i ever was and he is Right.

the likes of Ronnie,Higgins,Hunter etc they played the Right shots at the Right time with a usefull safety game to go with it thats something thats lacking now because Players been brought up on the Hendry and Ronnie way of playing thinking thats their best hope.

when i see Trump today its like Looking at Hendry at 17 Raw Talent that can pot balls from anywhere but for Stephen to become a Champion he had to curb that and play slightly more like Steve Davis that's when he started to have Success Knowing When to Attack and When not to. its a myth hendry did not have a safety game he had to develop that part of the game to be a champion.

i dont think Even Murphy got that Balance Right yet and he is 28.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Tubberlad

It would be foolish to think we're not going to get someone who actually has the brains to do what you mention though. Give it time... those 30 & 40 somethings WON'T last forever...

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Wildey

thetubberlad wrote:It would be foolish to think we're not going to get someone who actually has the brains to do what you mention though. Give it time... those 30 & 40 somethings WON'T last forever...

i think you right

but that is why journeymen of the 90s is managing to hang on where legends of the 80s couldn't.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby JohnFromLondonTown

Well its about who's hungriest then. I'd say Mark Selby still is, your probably right about Shaun Murphy with your theory wild, & I hope I'm right about John Higgins, because from what I know about the fella, they'll be fire in his belly, that's for sure.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby JohnFromLondonTown

thetubberlad wrote:... those 30 & 40 somethings WON'T last forever...

:chin: Very brave statement that one tubbs. This is not a physical sport we're talking about here.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby GJ

i would say the next 5 world titles will be shared between

robbo , ding and selby

most likely 2 each for robbo and ding and 1 for selby

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby JohnFromLondonTown

GJtheaussiestud wrote:i would say the next 5 world titles will be shared between

robbo , ding and selby

most likely 2 each for robbo and ding and 1 for selby

Yeah, I didn't mention the World Champ did I, excuse me :ashamed:

You can put him up there as well cos it don't look like he's going anywhere anytime soon.

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby GJ

Allens attitude seems wrong and seems to lazy

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby JohnFromLondonTown

thetubberlad wrote:I'm going to be brave...

Robertson - 3 (including the one has already)
Ding - 2
Selby - 2
Allen - 1
Murphy - 1
O'Sullivan - 1

No Mark Williams, do you think?

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Tubberlad

GJtheaussiestud wrote:Allens attitude seems wrong and seems to lazy

Allen's attitude is what makes him a winner in my eyes... he's clearly not scared of anyone, the guy seems pretty fearless.

Lazy? Expect him to sort that out. He loves the game, and he really strikes me as a guy with a will to win...

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Tubberlad

JohnFromLondonTown wrote:
thetubberlad wrote:I'm going to be brave...

Robertson - 3 (including the one has already)
Ding - 2
Selby - 2
Allen - 1
Murphy - 1
O'Sullivan - 1

No Mark Williams, do you think?

I think it could be O'Sullivan or Williams or maybe even Higgins. Williams is good enough...

Look, it's all subjective really, isn't it?

Re: The Decies: Who will be the main men?

Postby Wildey

thetubberlad wrote:I'm going to be brave...

Robertson - 3 (including the one has already)
Ding - 2
Selby - 2
Allen - 1
Murphy - 1
O'Sullivan - 1


you name the next 9 years there.

in 9 years Brecel will be 24 im really looking for this kid to start to reach full potential at around 21 or 22