THE RULES OF THE ROCKET
The final of Future Stars of Snooker was a real buzz and it was good to see that the competition not only had a great response but also produced some players with real talent. All the finalists showed a great touch and definitely should stay on the tables, practice and force their way into the game.
Our winner Joel Walker showed some real ability and his composure was very impressive. I’m convinced we’ve found a player who could go on into the professional game and who knows, lift the World title itself.
Now Joel can really test himself as he has been given a place in the qualifying rounds of the World Open and we’ll be getting together to help him prepare for this big test.
I believe that Joel’s got the game and the temperament to go far and this is the first step. So keep an eye out for Joel and remember who saw him first!
Can Barry Hearn make a difference to snooker?
Definitely. It’s not just the enthusiasm either. The guy is a motivator and a man who knows how to work a product. He’s got fantastic contacts in the media and he will certainly work really hard for the benefit of the game. You’ve got to be innovative within any sport to provide interest and entertainment, but he’s also a snooker man. He’ll respect the game and its traditions - but we need a buzz and he’s the man to provide it.
It's getting like the old days!
I’ve said on these pages before how much the old pro-ams helped to build me as a player and a person, knowing that if you had the bottle and skill you could take on some of the best players in the game. It was a great feeling knowing you had what it took to build your game and a reputation.
Well, Rileys have teamed up with World Snooker to set up qualifying rounds to ultimately make it to play at the World Open being held in Glasgow at the end of September. Rileys have had a fantastic response with over 1,000 amateur players entering the competition.
This is a real opportunity for a player with raw talent to push themselves toward the bigger stage. It’s like the FA Cup of snooker, and we all know the Cup can produce some real upsets.
This is good for the game because it will open up the opportunities to break through, but believe me, it will take some graft and bottle to battle through. But that’s how the guys in the nineties had to prove themselves and it was good for them and for the game.