Stuart Bingham EXCLUSIVE interview - part two

OnCue brings you the second part of an exclusive interview with Stuart Bingham.

Here he talks about Ronnie, his childhood heroes as well as his career highs and lows...

There's a lot of talk about the depth of the snooker game at the minute. Have the players got better in snooker in recent years?

The game has got more depth. I think any player in the top 50 can win a tournament now. Like in Shanghai, you had Jamie Burnett in the final. Standards are higher. And with more tournaments, everyone looks a lot sharper. You can’t afford not to be playing in the PTC and EPTC events.

Talking of the top players, you practice quite a bit with Ronnie don’t you?

I used to yeah. This season I’ve not done so a lot. Last season we did up until the Welsh Open when we played each other. He likes to play different players. I’ve got a couple of texts from him this year asking for Matt Selt’s and Mark King’s numbers. I haven’t really had much time this season anyway with all the new events.

Opinion is quite divided about Ronnie at the moment. What’s he like off the TV cameras?

One-on-one, he’s like me and you talking here. He can have a chat about anything. He likes his cars. Every time he comes here, he’s got a different car. He loves his running and he takes an interest in my life too. But sometimes he seems a bit different on the TV cameras. Sometimes he looks like he doesn’t want to be there.

Deep down, we’re all snooker players, and we don’t want to lose. But when he looks like he doesn’t care, that’s a dangerous Ronnie because he will go for his shots and he can pot anything.

A lot of fans on message boards are saying players must resent him for showing a lack of respect. Is that true?

Some people are getting annoyed with him. He says he wants to play good snooker and please the fans but then at the World Open, he wasn’t bothered whether he made a 140 or 147. Just to make a 147 in competition is great. I’m lucky enough to have had two and it’s just a buzz. You cannot beat it. The adrenaline rush is second to none. Maybe Ronnie needs to do something different to get his buzz. What people say, is that he’s the best in the world. He may be world number four or six or whatever, but he’still the best. If he puts his mind to it, he is so the best player. Like on eight points, asking what the highest break is. I guessed when he potted the first red he’d go for a maxi but there’s still plenty that can go wrong to have that kind of confidence.

What’s your best moment in the game?

Beating Stephen Hendry at the world championships in 2000. The year before I went up there as a fan. We got a backstage tour and I sat in the chair I was in against Hendry and I was thinking this is every snooker player's dream. I have to get here. A year later I was playing Hendry in his prime. He was current world champion and just to play like I did was great. The next day, David Gray beat Ronnie as well, which was another big shock. I had two or three camera crews following me everywhere and started getting noticed about.

What about the other side. Any big lows?

From 2000 to 2001 funnily enough, into the season after, I lost ten games on the trot. I plummeted down the rankings and I was lucky to stay on tour. I was having some negative vibes and didn’t think I’d ever win again. Then I won one or two. It’s hard to get it back, but I did.

I’ve got to mention the pink you missed at Sheffield for a 147. How gutted were you after that?

It’s just one of those things. I’ve got to lump it and get on with life. It was a bit too much for me at the time with the life-changing money that was at stake. I’ve never taken any drugs but I can imagine that’s what it would feel like. The adrenalin was running. It was playing with my head. I was thinking holidays and new cars. I was thinking of everything other than potting the pink.

Any funny stories?

I won the world amateurs out in New Zealand in 1996. They always invite the reigning champion back and the year after it was in Zimbabwe. My itinerary came through. I packed my bags ready. I rung up the snooker association to see what the weight limit was and she told me I should have been on the plane that took off last night. I started shaking because I had the trophy in my hand. They ended up getting me a new flight but I was really worried. And even now. It’s a bit of a joke my friends have with me.

Who did you grow up admiring?

Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White. All of the top players really. Davis was an ultimate winner. I was gutted when Dennis Taylor beat him in 1985. I thought he was brilliant. Hendry was such a good break builder and brought the game up to where it is today. He was very attacking.

Can you imagine yourself still playing at Davis’ age?

I’d love to. He’s 53 and provisionally he was higher than me in the rankings not so long ago. I think he only does about an hour a day. He text me about practicing together. We haven’t yet but I’d like to. He’s an ultimate legend and a good laugh. You see him at tournaments and he’s always got time for you.