Fella needs looking after. Proper care. He’s struggled on and off for years. Grown up in snooker with his old man inside for most of the early part of his career; it’s no surprise he has his struggles and demons. He’s given so much to the game, people turn up just to see him even now, approaching fifty. The game needs to look after him. Let’s hope he gets the support, rest, and treatment if he needs it, that he deserves.
He sets himself such high standards he can't accept that age is catching up with him and he's going to start losing matches. He needs to make his mind up whether he wants to do a Steve Davis and get spanked every week until he's sixty or pack in whilst he's at the top table.
Think of how much he would have won if everything had always been fine. Or maybe all the adversity he's experience has made him the player he's been.
For him to miss the Masters, he must be in a really bad place. Hope he’s got good people around him. I know he’s not everyone’s cup of tea as a person, but he’s the best there has ever been in that sport. Watching his entire career, some of my favourite sporting moments belong to him. The famous rapid 147 is like watching something otherworldly. The year he didn’t play a match but then rocked up at the Crucible and won the worlds is beyond words. A genius.
Sometimes he courts controversy and uses it as an adversary. I wonder if that's part of his illness. When I'm high I look for adversity just to wake myself up a bit. Then there's other times I crawl back under a rock so to speak.
Didn’t he call Ally Pally ‘dirty and disgusting’ last year? It will be interesting to see which events he chooses to attend from here. Perhaps some Saudi sun will aid his recuperation.
With his ability, if he’d had the benefit of the mental toughness and fight of someone like Selby or Ebdon - and the work ethic - he’d have won as many world titles in his sport as Phil Taylor did in his. Probably more. As Whitey has just said, he rocked up at the crucible one year having not played all season and with barely a few hours on the practice table to loosen his arm - and won the event. He has the greatest ability of anyone to ever pick up a cue - his weaknesses and flaws add to his character and are part of his appeal you might argue. If he was that good and also had steely resolve to maximise his wins, he’d have won everything just about, but probably not have the same attraction to supporters. It is clear that he is not well though. Having had some mental health issues myself, I am worried about him as he is a sporting icon - and a sporting hero of mine, if a forty odd year old fat bloke from Donny could still have such a thing - I just hope he gets through jt and the support he warrants. If he never picks up a cue again so be it - someone may match his number of wins but nobody will ever be better IMO. An absolute freak, once in a lifetime level of genius.
A rest may do him good and not rush back. Report The Rocket' played four matches on Wednesday, losing three of them and whacked his cue against the table after missing an easy pink against Milkins. While he quickly apologised to the referee and his opponent, there were reports from Leicester that he later threw his cue into a bin before it was retrieved.
I'm not a follower of snooker but even I know a lot about him, done wonders for the sport. Out of interest, why would getting to 50 years old mean he starts losing games or slowing down? Mental issues i understand obviously, but physically
Im not his biggest fan to be honest, and I agree with others who also think a lot of his problems might be self inflicted. But that is only opinion by the way!. He is fantastic though at what he does, and I hope this break really helps him, because the game of Snooker really needs him!.