Tuesday 6 July 2010

My season, my new starters...

I was reading an interesting post on Pro Snooker Blog earlier this morning, called 'new season, new start?'

The article itself links back to quotes posted on TSF about Matthew Stevens, as a player who could potentially reignite his past form competing in the more packed 2010/11 schedule.

The Pro Snooker Blog claimed Jamie Cope, Ryan Day and Joe Perry could be three more to prosper from the new-look calendar.

They're all fair shouts, with great arguments, but being 'Mr Competitive', I thought I'd add my thoughts into the mix as well.

So, here are four players I'm backing to make progress in the coming season as a result of the changes being made within snooker:

1. Stephen Maguire

When the Scot claimed his first two ranking titles in 2004, at the UK Championships and the European Open, I'd have backed him to have more than doubled his tally six years down the line.

But today, Maguire boosts if not a fair then perhaps under-achieving four ranking titles.

He's always been a player I've admired for his tremendous break building skills, but for some reason he hasn't gone on to deliver the vast ranking titles I and many others (probably including himself) may have predicted.

Don't get me wrong, he's not a bad player. Far fromit. He's been playing well enough. Over the past two years he's been ranked second.

As we all know though, rankings are one thing and silverware is another. I'm sure he'll want to push on to win trophies as that'll be how he's ultimately judged when he puts his cue away. The new schedule could help him do that.

While in the past he may have laboured to reach his top, top form on the biggest stges, this year he can use more freqeunt matches as a tool to grow over the course of the season.

This could be the key to seeing Maguire become a winner again, rather than just bidding for the top prizes.

2. Stephen Lee

We all remember the Stephen Lee of old.

Always in the top 16, sometimes even further on. Now, he's a shadow of his former self. The player Dennis Taylor claimed had the best cue action in the sport, is no more.

That kind of ability doesn't just disappear though. Something changed within him.

I was in his press conference after he was knocked out of the 2008 world championships.

There, I was seeing a player threatening to quit the game, a player so fed up of the sport, he wanted to walk away.

Then, more snooker was probably the last thing he wanted. But I've got a gut feeling it could work to his advantage as he bids to recapture his best form.

We all know he's not a bad player. With snooker coming thick and fast, I think he'll get back to where he belongs in the coming season.

3. Liang Wenbo

If I was ever asked to name the current top 8 eight players in the world in terms of talent, this boy would be among them.

The rankings may tell you differently but whenever I've seen him play, he's been a joy to watch.

He has a great all round game with the ability to match the best on his day.

Maybe, it's a little case of the fear factor stopping him matching the big guns when it really matters.

The new format will see him face the big names more regularly, and in time I think this will help him develop, and beat the better players more often.

He's got it in his locker. Has Hearn given him the right key to let it flourish?

4. Peter Ebdon

Ebdon is one of the most fierce competitors in the game.

He's the type of player who never knows when he's beaten. He'll take each event as seriosuly as the next, and he's never defeated without a fight.

While I'd question his ability to win a big prize prize again, the influx of more competitions should allow Ebdon to pick up enough ranking points to forge his way back into the elite top 16.

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