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About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Monique

John Higgins will return to competition next week-end when he will play in EPTC event 5 in Hamm. There are a lot of expectations around him and I'm not sure that's a good thing, or that it is fair.
In the following interview John reveals (a bit of) what he has gone through. Despite what he hopes, such hard times in life do change you as a person, definitively. It might make him stronger, it might have broken some parts of him forever. Only time will tell.
Whatever it is, it will be hard. Good luck John.

http://news.scotsman.com/news/John-Higg ... 6615851.jp?
John Higgins reveals snooker graft probe torment

Published Date: 07 November 2010
By Rory Reynolds
SNOOKER ace John Higgins has revealed the real cost to his personal life as he served a suspension for an alleged match-fixing deal.
The former world No 1, who returns to the sport this week after being cleared by an independent tribunal in September, said he felt isolated from family and friends and, for five months, could not face playing with his nine-year-old son.

In an interview with Scotland on Sunday today the 35-year-old, from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, said he was still struggling to return to normal life after being investigated following newspaper reports that he had agreed to throw frames.

Speaking about eldest son Pierce, nine, with whom he plays pool in his garage, he said. "He asked me for a game but even then I couldn't face picking up the cue. Couldn't even play a game of pool with the boy. There were people saying to me, 'Right John, we believe you, why don't you just be in the club practising'. But I couldn't do it. There was no purpose at the end of it. I'd have just been hitting balls about. There was no end goal."

He also said he spent sleepless nights following news coverage of the match-fixing probe, and put a barrier up between himself and his friends.

Higgins, who will take on Joe Jogia at the Euro Players Tour Championship in Hamm, Germany, on Thursday, in his first match since a surprise defeat to Steve Davis at the Crucible in April, said: "I don't think I slept a decent sleep for those five months. Not once. Sometimes, sitting at night, I'd go on the internet and see what was happening.

"There were a lot of things being said. Just bored, you know. Googling everything and you hear some of the bad stuff. Denise (his wife] was my rock. Our two youngest kids, Claudia and Oliver, didn't really didn't know what was going on, but Pierce did. There were a couple of comments at school.

"He came home a little bit upset. Me and Denise sat him down and tried to explain that there were people saying bad things about daddy in the papers and he said, 'You show them out to me daddy and I'll punch them in the face'.

"Kids can make you do a whole range of things. They can make you laugh and cry. Two emotions at once."

"I can't hold grudges. It's just not me. It's not in my nature. There are things that I need to keep to myself about what happened, but I can't allow myself to get bitter about it. If that's what happens then they've won. They've changed me as a person and they've won."

n rory.reynolds@scotlandonsunday.com

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Monique

And as the day of his return approaches, John is increasingly concerned. About how he will be treated by his fellow players, as he states in the interview here, but I'm certain, also about how himself will handle it. It's only human.

http://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/new ... ggins.html
HIGGINS NERVOUS ABOUT RETURN

John Higgins is concerned how he will be treated by his fellow professionals when he makes his comeback next week.

The three-time world champion will make his return following a six-month ban at the Euro Players Tour Championship in Hamm, Germany.

In September he was cleared of match-fixing but fined £75,000 after admitting breaching rules around betting following an investigation into allegations of frame-throwing made by the News of the World.

The 35-year-old Scot's suspension began when the allegations surfaced in May, but now he is poised to resume competition next weekend.

Higgins told Scotland on Sunday: "When the result came through, I was like, 'Right I'm going over to Germany and I'll show them all', but now as the day gets closer, it's like going to the dentist.

"You make the appointment and as it gets nearer you think, 'oh no'.

"I'm a bit nervous about how the players are going to take to me.

"It's just something I'll have to deal with.

"It's cost me a great deal and it's a stigma I'll probably never, ever get rid of.

"I hope I will, but I'm not sure.

"I just want to get back playing and maybe people will see me for what I am."

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Witz78

Monique wrote:And as the day of his return approaches, John is increasingly concerned. About how he will be treated by his fellow players, as he states in the interview here, but I'm certain, also about how himself will handle it. It's only human.

http://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/new ... ggins.html
HIGGINS NERVOUS ABOUT RETURN

John Higgins is concerned how he will be treated by his fellow professionals when he makes his comeback next week.

The three-time world champion will make his return following a six-month ban at the Euro Players Tour Championship in Hamm, Germany.

In September he was cleared of match-fixing but fined £75,000 after admitting breaching rules around betting following an investigation into allegations of frame-throwing made by the News of the World.

The 35-year-old Scot's suspension began when the allegations surfaced in May, but now he is poised to resume competition next weekend.

Higgins told Scotland on Sunday: "When the result came through, I was like, 'Right I'm going over to Germany and I'll show them all', but now as the day gets closer, it's like going to the dentist.

"You make the appointment and as it gets nearer you think, 'oh no'.

"I'm a bit nervous about how the players are going to take to me.

"It's just something I'll have to deal with.

"It's cost me a great deal and it's a stigma I'll probably never, ever get rid of.

"I hope I will, but I'm not sure.

"I just want to get back playing and maybe people will see me for what I am."


havent we already :john:

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby GrumpyMrDavros

Sonny wrote:Come on Higgins

Yeah I want to see JH qualify for the televised stages _ where he'll be roundly booed

Wish I was a professional player up against him so I could use Hank Williams Your Cheating Heart as my walk on music :D

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Witz78

GrumpyMrDavros wrote:
Sonny wrote:Come on Higgins

Yeah I want to see JH qualify for the televised stages _ where he'll be roundly booed

Wish I was a professional player up against him so I could use Hank Williams Your Cheating Heart as my walk on music :D



:clap: <ok> :bowdown:

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby SnookerFan

I'll be there at the UK Championships this years, where he'll be playing. It'll be interesting to see how the crowd react.. I think it'll be somewhat mixed. Some legitimately believe he is guilty, some legitimately believe he is innocent. And some don't know or don't care, they are just glad to see him back. I'd probably put myself in the latter, but it'll be hard to know until you see him walk out. I'm going to check when his match is now, it might be one to highlight as a much watch.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Casey

Well despite how people feel about him and whether they people the independent tribunal that had access to all the evidence, people should remember that his father is terminally ill.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Wildey

Players Like Higgins gets inspired by Booing from Fans the Reaction of Fellow Players he is interested in he couldn't give a rubbish about some Booo From Idiots.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Casey

Witz78 wrote:His dads illness should not have any impact on how fans react to him entering an arena.

PS- BOOOOOO


Well IMO do think personal circumstances do come into it. With his Dad I think he has a lot on his plate.

I hope Higgins wins his 4th World title and becomes the greatest achiever of the 92 crowd.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Eirebilly

Witz78 wrote:His dads illness should not have any impact on how fans react to him entering an arena.

PS- BOOOOOO


Independant tribunels findings mean nothing to you then do they? If you feel the need to Boo someone then good on you, personally i find booing to be utterly distastefull no matter what the circumstances.
Booing someone who has a terminally ill member in their family is just poor to say the least and i hope you never personally experience that.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby GrumpyMrDavros

If Higgins is so upset about his dad's illness then he should withdraw from the events in question . You put yourself in the spotlight you should put up with the flack

And I can feel no sympathy for someone who's got a big mortgage on a mansion in Spain

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby JohnFromLondonTown

GrumpyMrDavros wrote:If Higgins is so upset about his dad's illness then he should withdraw from the events in question . You put yourself in the spotlight you should put up with the flack

And I can feel no sympathy for someone who's got a big mortgage on a mansion in Spain

Full of wisdom you eh????

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Casey

GrumpyMrDavros wrote:If Higgins is so upset about his dad's illness then he should withdraw from the events in question . You put yourself in the spotlight you should put up with the flack

And I can feel no sympathy for someone who's got a big mortgage on a mansion in Spain


Thats ruff, as I have no doubt that John snr would love to see his kid back in play before the end.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Eirebilly

Thats pretty harsh Grumpy. What is in the past is in the past. John Higgins is trying to move on so i think that he should be let be. I am more worried that people will use the fact that his father is terminally ill and that would be just rotton.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Smart

GrumpyMrDavros wrote:If Higgins is so upset about his dad's illness then he should withdraw from the events in question . You put yourself in the spotlight you should put up with the flack

And I can feel no sympathy for someone who's got a big mortgage on a mansion in Spain

:D :clap: :D :clap:

It was a truly sickening video we had to watch. You cannot erase that memory, TAINTED is DJ. :idea:

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Wildey

case_master wrote:
GrumpyMrDavros wrote:If Higgins is so upset about his dad's illness then he should withdraw from the events in question . You put yourself in the spotlight you should put up with the flack

And I can feel no sympathy for someone who's got a big mortgage on a mansion in Spain


Thats ruff, as I have no doubt that John snr would love to see his kid back in play before the end.

im sure if his father was bad there would be a w/o on Friday for Joe Jogia anyway but if his father wanted him to go which im pretty sure as case said he would want him to.

he has been cleared to play lets move on whats to gain to harp back to whats been. does nothing for snooker.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby gallantrabbit

I can't say I've ever been a Higgins 'fan' but certainly an admirer.
I think he's been punished for naivety and there's nothing else in it.
I was a little shocked by the video as were many, but I genuinely think he's explained it away and the biggest factor for me was that he would never need this type of money, he's made a fortune and is quite capable of making a lot more, especially at a time when Hearn was getting established and it was clear that the snooker scenario was very much improving.
I'll be backing Higgins more than usual this weekend. I think he's a decent fellow and no amount of snide remarks will change that view.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby sundaygirl

I'm sure he expects mixed reaction from fans and will be able to cope with that, but I think the possible disapproval of fellow players is what is worrying him the most, that's the impression I get from the interviews I've read.

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Tubberlad

JohnFromLondonTown wrote:
GrumpyMrDavros wrote:If Higgins is so upset about his dad's illness then he should withdraw from the events in question . You put yourself in the spotlight you should put up with the flack

And I can feel no sympathy for someone who's got a big mortgage on a mansion in Spain

Full of wisdom you eh????


John <ok>

I don't think it matters whether a person is loaded or not, losing someone as important as that to you is something very difficult to get through, at any stage of your life. In this regard, I do feel sorry for him and wish him the best in dealing with this.

I won't be shouting for Higgins any more or less than what I used to, I've never been a passionate fan of his so it's not going to make much difference. I don't know what to make of what has happened over the last few months, but those who made the final call were well in the know, so I can have no complaints. Is he tainted? Possibly, I don't know. I've always liked Higgins, I met him once and I've got to admit he seems a very, very nice bloke.

What I do know for sure is this: John Higgins is one of the very best snooker players I've seen, and I'm delighted to have seen him play. He's one I'll tell my grandkids about when the time arises :)

Re: About John Higgins' return to competition

Postby Wildey

thetubberlad wrote: He's one I'll tell my grandkids about when the time arises :)

you might have forgotten by then :redneck: