An Honest Conversation About Snooker This Year

What a year it’s been for snooker!

Ronnie winning an 8th UK Championship, Judd Trump dominating and a first World Championship winner from mainland Europe in Luca Brecel. So to recap the year, Stephen played a frame against Joe Perry, where they shared stories, thoughts and controversial takes about 2023 in snooker.

What was your stand out moment this year? And what is your BOLD prediction for 2024? Let us know in the comments!

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All right guys uh it’s the end of the year so we’re going to have a look back at the review of 2023 who won what all the tournaments with uh the gentlemen so we’re going to have a frame as well so kickoff first tour of the year was the

Championship league who won it oh there’s there’s a couple of them throughout the year in there I was that one John Higgins well done yeah now he’s very good at that he normally comes in late that’s the one with all the groups is it he comes in he normally Pops in

Group seven wins that wins the main one and goes home with all the money do you play in that yeah I think I started in you can you sort of get asked when you want to start right and if you then it goes down the rankings basically so

Basically you have to win your group to get to the final group to the final group yeah just give myself a little bit of credit here I actually won the very first time it was staged 2008 Park kondon Park 2008 yeah I think I would about three frames think I beat I

Started in group one I eventually got kept staying stading staying I think I won group five and then I won the final group I think I beat Selby in the in the final cuz you get do you still get 100 quid Century frame no just a frame frame

And then if you get in the last four obviously then the money starts going up you get bonuses for semi finals cuz you used to get players would just want to not win the group because that meant they were through they used to just like up because then they play the next year

Get to make more very first year I entered it uh Neil said to me he said oh I’m not entering that it’s a load of rubbish 10000 pound of frame so I went off to play in group one I lost in the semi-finals of group one the final of

Group two and I think I W about 8 and a half 9,000 right and Neil said how’d you get on I said yeah it was all right I said I want about 9 Grand he went what1 of frame and then next thing he done was

Ring Sharon at matro and said I want to be in group three so he was he jumped on it straight away yeah no and it’s also really good really good like match practice right he play so much snooker over a couple of days against good players but I think I think I’m ready

Saying that’s that’s the last tourament John Higgins won could I think you might be right yeah I mean do you think he’s do you think he’s coming to the the end of being being a winner Ro he HED because he’s so good but he’s no he’s he’s still he’s still class and

He next tournament after that is of course the Masters winner please that was Jud Trump wasn’t it y Trump Mark Williams in the final yeah he didn’t um he didn’t actually play that well if I remember yeah that’s right I thought Mark was actually going to cuz Mark

Played really well to get to the final and then he just didn’t really you I mean obviously you got to the final didn’t you yeah what an atmosphere it is there right yeah y i I still say that’s the that’s the most nervous I’ve ever felt going into a snooker match I felt

Right in the daytime I think we finished the first session 44 I was 41 up and Ronnie didn’t play well at all I I should have been going in 53 62 up and he I let him off he come back 40 and I stood at the top of the stairs and I was

Just I don’t want to be here I was literally so nervous is Inc I could I couldn’t hold my I lost the first three frames like that just not through Ronny being great just I just couldn’t stand up I was just so nervous and I think I

End up losing 107 I sort of made a fight of it once I was beat basically from 84 I sort of played all right but damn it you can’t it’s very rare he loses from there I know the venue is just that it’s just an incred I always say people if

They’ve never been to a live snooker tournament That’s The Crucible obviously is amazing but in terms of an occasion that the masses is is unbelievable the next one is the the world Grand Prix Murphy had a good run in those but I don’t think he won the Grand

Prix did he win the Grand Prix no I don’t think he did he a player of the Season yeah oh you won that as well did you I thought yeah yeah he had won the UK before before Christmas was they yeah so what what do you think of the the to

The change he made to his game to I mean I what I said was I was kind of critical of it but then he won trophies so what can you say I mean yeah I I thought he sort of negated a lot of his strengths to be honest you know nor you would

Encourage a player to play to his strengths he seemed to sort of go against that but but you know what can you can you say you know if someone changes their game and has instant success then obviously it’s the right thing to do but he didn’t seem as he

Didn’t seem as dangerous to me but I never s well he just he just for me he seemed to lose a bit of his rhythm lose a bit of his natural but he said because he wasn’t he did it because he he wasn’t playing at his best so he found a way to

Win so I mean if you got that in your locker if you can mix it up yeah well look Selby is the prime example that is he you know he can win not playing great but the trouble is I think SEL is probably the best

At not potting a ball for 20 minutes and then he can make 100 there’s not many players that can do that the shootout was the next one Chris wakand I mean just showed you how what tournament can change your change your life change your career yeah and he’s won for me he’s

Improved immensely you can’t pick a winner at a shootout but no I was he was consistently getting better and better and yeah I think he’s he’ll be up sort of in the sort of 20s 30s for a long time next one is the the tournament who

Won it the year after you the Welsh Shen my favorite snooker player Rob milkins why is he your favorite he’s my favorite s player for lots of reasons one just as he is as a person he ftic I love watching him play he’s got the best walkon song I mean he basically gets

Down points a que and hits it it is I think it goes unnoticed a lot of the time right you know he can mix it I would never think oh he into trouble he’s playing s cuz he like drgo everyone thought he was just about playing fast

But his safety game was Unreal yeah similar yeah but I mean what what as I say turn talk about turnarounds in careers and lives I mean the year I mean just unreal right oh some of the obvious I’ve spent a lot of time with Rob you know various

SS overseas and stuff and you know I sit with him watching other matches and the thing it’s just his life could be the best funer ever oh but his life has been like you you you’re not surprised that he never sort of fulfilled his potential

With the way he lives his life so I was like made up for him yeah cuz he lots of snooker players deserve it but for me he was like so deserving of just getting a nice break and getting a few quid and sort of taking the pressure off life for a little while

Yeah the PLAYERS Championship Mr Murphy was yeah s blowing everyone out the water wasn’t it he was playing phenomenal he was well I mean the other one which is obviously in the canas he won the Tour Championship as well do you think it’s a coincidence that the two tournaments he won are on

ITV when he’s doing pundit train work for BBC and he done nothing in those tournaments I’m in a completely different C of different boat to people like Murphy cuz you know I as much as I believe in myself he goes to every tournament capable of winning it yeah

And I don’t think he should be doing P the tree not not where he is in the game like it’s different for me I’m I’m sort of you know he’s still as you say he’s still a he goes to every tourament capable of winning it he’s he’s in the

He’s in the top 10 of the bet in every single tournament so he he shouldn’t be doing it in my opinion but he think think it helps I if I only just single out the world championship for 17 days for you to win that the stamina that

Takes out of you your time off is just as important as your time on the table Yeah you got to be switching off completely and now if you go a say you have a a tough a nine frame session it’s really say it’s 54 it’s taken out of you

And then two hours later you’re going into commentating another N9 frame session you might think it’s just commentating but it’s still you’re you’re you’re there you’re in well this I had comment at the UK this year just for a couple of days and I wasn’t in the

Tournament but I still come and done the com and I had two matches went 65 in the afternoon we literally finished at about C past 20 past 6 and was back on at 700 that went 65 and I was absolutely shattered in the day and all I done was

Sitting in a box talking about snooka but I was shattered I would have wanted to play snooker the next day definitely not no cuz one one of the luckiest things I I I had um I think Steve was the same that I could I could nap I could sleep switch off

And it’s it’s it’s like a a thing that’s not spoken about but I think it’s just so important so the world championship we said that Sean won the Tour championship before it Luca brasel doesn’t practice for 3 weeks and win to World Championship I mean is that the most

Incredible thing yeah I and and traveled home ever to every match I I wasn’t a fan of it I don’t like to hear it I just think it just sounds awful cuz you know I how hard it is to win a match at this game and you spend hours and hours

Practicing and he just rocks up like it just doesn’t matter but it worked for him that time I don’t think you can continue that in that plan no no no I mean I mean he’s he’s he’s I think he’s finding out with the start of the Season

He’s had this year that it’s this I spoke to him UK I think he’s he knows he’s going to start knuckling down now but one of the reasons possibly I think it was five four attempts or five attempts he hadn’t w a match of The Crucible and he maybe thought well I’m

Just going to try something new but what what a what a breath of the fresh air to win the championship playing that kind of snooker I wasn’t keen on the things he said but to watch him play was was incredible and it was fantastic I don’t think what snooker needed and especially

Someone from Mainland Europe winning as well that was you know that’s that’s brilliant for snooker long term but yeah he just played he played snooker how we all want to play snooker yeah he just got on with it he saw the balls he potted them he didn’t really get

Involved in the the other stuff I don’t think anyone else would have beat in Selby in the final no because he he just he can just bring in his his way of playing yeah I I I I thought Selby was all wrong for him and I just couldn’t

See him Poss I couldn’t see him as well as he played against Ronnie and against Williams I just couldn’t see him winning but yeah he just done a number on him he did do you think he can I mean obviously obviously can win again he’s only young he’s got a whole

Career in but do you think he can win again this season the worlds or or just well just win uh If he if he if he clicks I I I think it’s a bit different you know I don’t know what it’s start to world Champion but um I’m guessing that

Was unlucky Steven you almost parted that one I’m guessing it’s it’s harder when you got get rid of it was would I’d get rid of it I think it’s probably harder when you got a big Target on your back you know he’s not at the world championship I’m not taking anything

Away from was incredible but like he wasn’t expected to beat Mark Williams he wasn’t expected to beat Rono Sullivan he was expected to win the semi-final and he almost bodged that up he was expected to win the final now he’s sort of like Guardian as world champion is expected

To win and it’s I’m guessing it’s not well you got to enjoy it you got to enjoy it if you don’t enjoy it then fine but I think he’s a kind of character that’s just I don’t know it’s just nothing seems to B phase him he win anything he

Didn’t win a match until the and then won the crystal yeah no i’ never be surprised by anything he does really on Sno maybe I should try the stent yeah you went all went all Karen Wilson on me then for a minute going to the start of this season now

First first tournament Barry Hawkins I think his first title since it’s for six years or something like that yeah yeah he should never be at the top 16 no he’s he’s probably he’s probably the most consistent solid all round snooker player that’s that doesn’t get on the winnner

Podium that often you know if you if you was yeah if you’re going to start playing snooker and you want like Barry just got everything yeah I I don’t know why he doesn’t win more often to be honest I don’t know he he one of those

Where at the start of a tournament he’ll never be amongst the sort of four five you say a good fancy to win but he would never be surprised if he does win it no because he’s he just everything he does is so good yeah I don’t I don’t know why

He doesn’t win more often yeah but again because it’s just so hard to win uh Shanghai Masters obviously an invitation event Ron Ronnie won it do you think I mean he’s just won the UK which obviously we may as well talk about that as well but he’s he’s just

Picking and choosing his tournaments now obviously he’s pulled out three tournaments in the UK this season yeah it’s turned up the UK won it he’s turned up in Shanghai won it I don’t I don’t want it to get to the stage where he sort of wins when he wants but you

Know he’s that good it almost seems that way you know if he if he really likes the tournament he’s at likes the city likes the people likes the the format yeah then he’s you know you’ve really got to go some to beat him he’s what what what I’m seeing now though is it’s

Just it’s all about the win where he used to say he didn’t he’d rather have a good performance than win and it’s C in for sucker now where he just he’s not bothered about the performance it’s about getting the result yeah and it’s like and it’s and and I think it’s

Making him a more dangerous dangerous opponent yeah cuz well a lot of the times you know he was he used to beat himself a lot of the times in you know cuz all right he’s he’s going to he’s going to end up being the most decor great snooker player we

Ever see told you they were tight but he went through a spell in his career you know for someone as as good as him they he sort of missed a few tour much he probably could have won had he had this mentality then but it’s just

He’s just phenomenal is he and you know if he if he turns like I said if he turns up and he’s happy to be there then he’s probably still the he’s still the man to beat regardless of who’s playing well um in terms of like a a prediction

For next year do you think he’ll win the eighth next year do you think he will win an eighth I again I tend to think he needs to do it either next year or the year after and then possibly he won again I think snooker players say a lot of things I’m

Not calling Ronnie a liar but I I think he wants to win eight why would you not you know why would you not so I said I said to him on on this I said look when I won equal Steves at six the next day I

Knew I had to win seven cuz what’s the point and I said I said him you must be the same and of course he didn’t admit it but of course he wants to win it of course he because he’s he’s a winner at the end of the day yeah cuz he said that

When he had six he wasn’t bothered about equaling your seven but but he was yeah and again like you say why wouldn’t you be you know so you think it wi it I think it’ll be I think yeah and I I I agree with you I think it’ll

Be I think it’ll be it’ll be this year sooner rather than lat or next year yeah I think you know time creeps up on everyone doesn’t it I know he’s super fit and everything but it it will get much much harder as the years go

By so I think he’s probably got you got two more two more visits to The Crucible sweating to Steven I’m going to try and put a ball here uh Williams won the British Open and he’s just unbelievable as well right yeah incredible yeah again you know I I

Turned PR the same year as him I went all through the Juniors suffering to the at the hands of them you know they’re phenomenal the three of yeah because everyone forgets it you you you Pro I I I hate it like class they say class

I wasn’t I I just say just B it off and say I was I was in the same school but I wasn’t in the same class yeah I grew up with him in the Juniors and Mark Williams was always just incredible and he and he for me he’s he’s actually he

Seems like he’s still getting better yeah he’s one that I I I I learn shots from watching comment so clever there ridiculous and he seems to be I know he’s always been but people us to say about him like doesn’t score as heavy as the others and stuff but now he does

That not go play safe did you yeah uh yeah know he scores I think he scores much heavier than he than he ever well he wants to know he’s trying to know he never used to bother before he used win the frame and um I mean if you ever known

Any anyone have a temperament like him no he just doesn’t give a it’s the best anything they they talk about temperaments in the game but for me he’s he’s is just I’ve never anyone not bother about losing a match like that we talked about that match with Neil

Robertson the Masters if I had have lost that match you you’d have found me somewhere in a ditch somewhere yeah he i’ seen him two minutes later B my tea time for tomorrow yeah going home playing Go I mean yeah and and it’s and you know I’m sure you spent enough time

With him you know he does come out of a lot of old flannel but but that in that regard in terms of like being disappointed and stuff that that is genuine he’s he just shrugs it off it just deals with it then we go three tournaments in a row

For Jud Trump British Open no English open Wuhan open Northern Ireland open I mean go about was it about four or five years ago he won five ranking tournaments in six yeah I must admit last year I didn’t know know where they do that again I didn’t I just I just

Thought his game was a bit getting a bit especially Under Pressure I thought he was becoming a bit vulnerable but then he’s come out back to his best again now he’s confident again he’s just ridiculous yeah I mean I just love that that triple like one after the other

That you you must know to to be able to sustain that level of form and even if you’re not playing well just to keep winning match after match after match day after day that that was that was as impressive as actually winning the tournaments just to keep turning up

Every day and doing it I watch I watch Ronnie do it in the in I know it was a completely different level but when he done it in Blackpool in ’92 he won like 72 out of 73 yeah like every single D A lot of them were holiday makers and

Stuff but you still got do it day in day out well thing is with Trump is the schedule he never had a day off no basically the three TS like 3 weeks in a row yeah literally China in the middle yeah I think you’ve got to have a

Certain level of Fitness you’ve got to have a certain level of mental Fitness I I couldn’t you know even if I was playing my best snooker and I was winning I don’t think I could concentrate that hard for for three weeks I would definitely have a few days

Off Zang Anda won in China which is where I mean where’s he come from got to the final English open then wins an international open in China you know maximum in the final I mean where do he come from yeah but I I as you as well

You know he’s always had it maybe I don’t I don’t know what what the difference is no idea put my finger on it Mark Allen won the champion of champions which is always like a sort of right we’re going to have a black ball game yeah you might win this one yeah

Mark Allen champion of champions be I mean destroyed Trump trump in the final um playing a lot better I think than he when he won the tournaments last year he’s capable of that isn’t he Mark you know cuz he’s he plays like a he’s got an incredible game but he plays like a

Percentage game so he can he can sort of like stifle an opponent if he has to and if he’s he doesn’t miss easy balls and like Jud missed a couple in the final I watched I watched the first session it was made a clear C and the pink

Shouldn’t have gone in yeah I think it was it was 5 nil and it could have easily been 32 to Jud and and you know at that level it’s hard to sort of come back from that would you have played that sh or if you

Won the toss would you have played cuz I think you should that’s quite easy no know you mean yeah everyone’s it’s just automatic autopilot is it you win the toss and let them go so is there any predictions you make for next season anything well I’ve got I’ve got to say

Haven’t I you know I’m I’m in his corner now so nil will make a Resurgence he’ll come back well he might have to qualify for the wells this year oh yeah there’s there’s every chance because he hasn’t entered Scotland he’s got to win I think he’s got to win Germany or the

Welsh right to probably stop him from having to qualify for the worlds I mean that’s imagine draw Neil Robertson in the first round well that’s that’s the thing isn’t it all of a sudden the pressure’s completely switch around then yeah and yeah I’m not saying he’ll win

The worlds but he won’t keep getting beat in the last think why do you think he’s only won one I mean again we go back to who’s won it instead of him it’s so difficult to win but he should have won more than one yeah well it’s you

Know look at someone like Barry Hawkins okay he’s brilliant player he’s had more onetable setups appearances than Neil Robertson yeah and he’s he hasn’t won it and he’s no he’s not won the Tour mon Nils won but he just he’s only been to the I think he’s only been to the one

Table set up once since he won it right and you know and he’s talking about a Serial winner there was he’s gone into the tourament favorite I think two or three times above Ronnie in the betting yeah you know and then I think he’s just

Yeah I don’t know why he hasn’t won it he’s made a lot of excuses as to why he hasn’t want it which are rubbish it is just rubbish well I mean yeah I mean it’s the venue is too small and if it too small he he would never have won it

In the first place he’d never win matches he had his little run of getting beat in the quarterfinal where I think he’s thinking yeah if I get to the one table I’m you know I’m sort of there and I think he probably just distracted him

A little bit but yeah I think he’ll come back I think he has he’s too good not to yeah he’s too but thing is when when you’ve been that good and going down it’s that that makes it so much harder to come back I think but I think he will

Do he will do oh one of my better ones uh okay I got I I love Jack lazowski I’ll give you a name who’s going to win one before Jack I think Tom Ford will win a ranking event before Jack lazowski I’m done I mean I just love watching Jack

Play I’d love him to win cuz I think he’d be great for snooker great for him he’s wonderful player like you say there’s there’s not many better on the eye than Jack no and when he plays great he’s just brilliant is he but it’s just

I I don’t know it’s it’s going to get much harder it’s going to get much much harder for him can’t you can’t miss these on the TV table it’s impossible why pocket’s too big yeah Joe always been an absolute pleasure thank you for having us chatus and uh tell

Tell us about you got a new club opening here yeah there’s a there’s a big place in the town it was a night it’s always it was the palace Ballroom for years then it was a nightclub then it was uh recently been a Turkish restaurant I’m

Taking it over going to turn into like a snooker pool sports bar right okay so yeah hopefully as the sort of transition happens something else to sort of focus on and yeah so looking forward to that I wish all the success in the world thank you very much