World Championship Qualifiers 2021

McManus is in a fight with Bai Langning. He's 3-2 up. I'm following the scores through snooker website is anyone watching? How's McManus playing?

I think anyone would love to see Angles back in the Crucible - if he's playing well.

Thats McManus gone anyway. This Bai Langning has played some decent stuff this week. As regards mcmanus he is still clinging on to the last spot in the rankings to retain his card, but be astonished if someone doesn't pass him out over next few days.

Joe_ Public wrote: »

And it is the end for Angles as he announces his retirement after defeat to Bai. Interesting to hear him say how difficult he found it to play and do his commentary gig. A coda to McManus' retirement is that Fergal is now the second longest consecutive player on tour after Nigel Bond, excluding those awarded wild cards.

https://wst.tv/mcmanus-retires-following-bai-defeat/

Fair play. I admire him for being able to walk away. If he was enjoying the tv work then he’s dead right to prioritise it. I really enjoy his analysis.

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Fair play. I admire him for being able to walk away. If he was enjoying the tv work then he’s dead right to prioritise it. I really enjoy his analysis.

Yeah, probably not much chance of getting a tour wild card so unless he was fancying a trip to q school, it's probably not that much of a surprise. And very intense with his analysis too, takes it very seriously and obviously puts a lot into it. I'd say he was desperate to get back to crucible one last time but doesn't get any easier. Ken the same i think.

Marco Fu was in the other semi in 2016. And he's effectively off the tour also now.

Marco will be getting a wild card, be back next season I'd be almost certain.

McManus was a bit of a dour fella, and a dour player, maybe the Terry Griffiths of his age. Took me a long time to forgive him for beating Ken in 2005, I'd convinced myself that was going to be Kens year, but all in all he was a good bloke and a proper matchplay player, the type they just don't seem to breed so much anymore.

McManus always looked much younger than he is. In contrast to a fella like Dennis Taylor who was 36 when he won in 1985 but just had a very middle aged look, at the time he could pass for 50. McManus is 50 now but could pass for being in his 30s.

Funny how it goes sometimes.

Thinking about scottish snooker and the players they've churned out over the years - hendry, higgins, mcmanus, dottie etc. Not sure what a night out on the town in glasgow with that lot would look like - you could bring maguire along to enhance the odds of a scrap perhaps! - but they have a knack of producing these hardened matchplay players. And I'd add mcgill too, not as talented and don't see him much throughout the season, but come the business end at the world championships, he always comes into his own, generally there or thereabouts. Always been a good scene up there.

dougm1970 wrote: »

whats he doing now ?....i heard the academy in glouster he was training out of had closed....does he still coach players ?

Not 100% sure tbh, i think he does most of his coaching online now, however that works. Don't think he's working with Mark Allen now anyway so may have stepped away from the professional side, but not certain on that.

The standard in these qualifying matches is really disgraceful. I know some of these guys are struggling to keep their card, but really, there doesn't seem to be anyone with the mental strength to rise above the pressure and knock in a decent break without making it look like very hard work. That's the reason why they're struggling, I suppose, but whoever does make it to the Crucible will be a lamb to the slaughter unless they buck themselves up.

EDIT: The Zhou v Xu match now is an exception to this. It's been of a much better standard so far.

Zhou looks to have all the ingredients. His clearance to go 5-5 was great.

Another decent chinese prospect here, Chang Bingyu, giving Tom Ford some early problems. Saw Chang a couple of times playing the irish lads and quite impressed with him.

And chang gets it done with a touch of class, seriously impressive stuff from him tonight. Though doubt i've ever heard a player do so much muttering and chuntering to himself as tom ford, total basket case tonight.

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

He needs to see a shrink. He got some good chances and got in with great first pots, but you could see that he was just waiting for himself to miss the easy second pot.

Ford been working with a sports psychologist for the past few months, not seeing the benefits there tonight anyway. Sounded a bit down with life in general during the welsh open a while back, shame really as he has bundles of natural ability.

Was a good days snooker yesterday, 7 out of 11 matches went to deciders and a sense the tournament really warming up after some of the earlier low quality fare.

Looking forward to the Perry v Clarke rematch later. Perry spat the dummy out when clarke beat him 6-4 at the same stage last year so you'd imagine would be keen to get revenge. It's probably a decent advantage for Clarke that he's already got two matches under his belt.

FR01 wrote: »

I see Jimmy White has been given a two year invitational card to continue on the main tour. I like Jimmy but seriously this has got to stop at some point. I’m sure the anoraks on here can tell me how many matches he’s actually won over the last two years ? I’m guess possibly no more than single figures.

Hearn has said he'll give him a card for as long as he wants one. He won 6 matches this season and none in 19/20...not counting things like the Championship League.

FR01 wrote: »

I see Jimmy White has been given a two year invitational card to continue on the main tour. I like Jimmy but seriously this has got to stop at some point. I’m sure the anoraks on here can tell me how many matches he’s actually won over the last two years ? I’m guessing possibly no more than single figures.

I really think they should draw the line and mandatory retire players at 50 or 55 depending on their ranking.
inside top 64-carry on
outside top 64-move on to the legends tour
Trump was right in the interview the other day,Snooker is obsessed with the past.How many times will we hear about the 85 final over the next few weeks?
Time for the old guard to leave the stage with dignity and class like McManus and Ebdon and not stay too long like White,Doherty,Hendry etc

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Jimmy wasn't a million miles from the top 64 this year. I think he beat Bingham recently and is world senior champion.
There is no question he stank the place out against Hendry last Monday, but I think he can perform better than that.

As you say Joe, it's good for drumming up interest and business further down the tour.

I mean, i don't believe it's right in principle, but i understand the rationale behind it. Barry is first and foremost a business man, he goes on about fairness a lot, creating a level playing field and whatnot, but really at the end of the day, he does what's best for business and that bottom line is why he is where he is.

And i get why people talk about angles retiring with dignity, but people are different and i don't blame jimmy for playing on either as he obviously loves it and doesn't care if people think he is embarrassing himself. Hearn could be offering extra tour cards to q school instead of freebies to his old pals, but i'm sure he's looking at the standard of R1 of these qualifiers and thinkin, hmmm enough of that. And Reanne and Ng is perfect on two fronts - ticks a box AND drums up extra publicity.

I think Joe is on the slide now. Doesn't look to have much left in the tank.

Louis Heathcote has just played the most amazing shot in history, I would argue. Snookered tight between the cushion and the black, with nowhere to go. Rammed it along the cushion into the jaws of the bottom right pocket, came up the right side of the table, hit the yellow and potted it in the green pocket. You'll never see the like again. Watch out for the video.

A really great escape and outrageous fluke all rolled into the one shot. Just needed virgo and "the things that can happen on a 12 x 6 foot table".

And then went and blew the frame anyway!

If i had to pick two fellas to win a frame to save my life, neither of these would be near my top 50. Great drama though.

Yes.

Session by session lineups available here
https://livescores.worldsnookerdata.com/Sessions/Tournament/14186/betfred-world-championship-2021-qualifiers