2009 European Play offs and European Champs

[rivercard]

Yeah, I thought it was rather quick. Wonder how it would compare to the record he holds for a best-of-9.

Well it wasn't that fast (that's 34 minutes), but it was less than an hour. 3 of the matches which started at the same time are still at 3-3 (although close to 4-3). The century at the end was also pretty fast, didn't feel more than 5 minutes but it was only livescoring so it's hard to tell.

[Monique]

Luca Brecel lost 2-5 to Sacha Lippe today. Sacha is a very good amateur but he isn't a pro and not even considered Germany's best amateur. So? Well I watched the match and it confirmed to me that it would be a big mistake to accept Luca on the main tour now. Yes the kid can play awsome, but he is just a kid. Against patient hard players and tough grinders he would struggle big time and there are plenty of those at Prestatyn. Today his frustration was very obvious. Several time he stomped his cue on the ground and made angry or frustrated gestures. All his body language was negative for most of the match. He played on needing 5 or 6 snookers in at least 2 frames; OK it's his right but when you are some 50 points behind with only 22 on the table ... and at the end of the match he did shake hands with Sacha but all in him was showing his reluctance and anger.
Don't get me wrong: I don't want to be harsh on Luca: he's only 14 and he wants to win, badly, which per se is of course a very good thing. At 14 this kind of behaviour is to be expected. He hasn't the maturity yet to cope with the situation in the best way and it's only normal. But it shows that he isn't ready yet for the pro world. If he was to compete in it, he would probably suffer numerous defeats like this one, leaving him hurt and frustrated and unable to deal with it properly. With the risk to destroy his confidence and enthousiasm definitively and that would be a real shame.

This of course is only my opinion ...

[Matt_2745]

In fairness though, the vast majority of what you say about him struggling against patient grinders and him getting frustrated etc could be said just as much about players aged 16, 19, 21...or even much higher. Indeed I saw players carrying on needing 5/6 snookers at the World qualifiers this year. If he's still behaving like that in a couple of years does that mean that he still should not be allowed on the tour?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that he should definitely be on the tour either, just perhaps that I'm not sure about that justification.

Truth be told I'm not convinced either way on the age limit, seems a bit arbitrary to me. My gut feeling is along the lines of 'if you are good enough, you are old enough', but on the other hand I guess a line has to be drawn somewhere. I think there is a similar age restriction in Premier League football too, or at least there was.

In any case I don't think that being away from the tour will do him any harm and if he doesn't get a tour wildcard the year he turns 16 then I would be pretty shocked as things stand!

[Monique]

Matt, you are right none of the behaviours I describe are "unique".
I admit I struggle to put exact words on the impression I had, not only yesterday evening but all week. It's not that Luca is not good enough, it is that he at 14 is still only a kid - his behaviour showing that, and it's just normal - and accepting him in the pro tour would be highly risky for HIM and his development as a person. It's too hard and too much pressure.
Moreover I personally think 16 is the absolute lower limit. At 16 those guys - well the vast majority of them - haven't got an education that would allow them to fallback should they fail on the MT or should they get fed up with their job (like it happens sometimes in life). You very well know that players below 32 struggle to make a living, health accident do happen etc... Not to mention 16 is very early to decide for the rest of your future. What about 14 then? Plus there is the risk - a very real danger - of parents, coaches and others - pushing the kid at the risk of total burn out well beyond what he can cope with. It happens in other sports and it's extremely destructive.
There is another youngster in Duffel this week who's father is a high official in his national snooker federation and who is typically such a case. The boy is older than Luca though, old enough to be on the tour, but not any way near him talent wise. The pressure put on him is unfair and TBH he looked more miserable each day. To the point I heard some referees discussing his case and expressing their concern and pity at the situation.

[madman]

I had some feedback about Luca yesterday, and was told about his attitude around the table, exactly as Monique has described. Thats why i said in my previous post that, though Luca is a brilliant talent to be nurtured, he definately does not have the right temperement at this age to cope with the pressures of the main professional tour.

I have seen a lot of great talents fail at this level, because they just could not cope mentally. This is how some players are, but i think if you behave like this from such an early age, it only gets worse. He will definately have to learn to control this, as eventually it will ruin his love of the game. They are going to be numerous matches he plays and loses, where he misses straight forward shots, does not play well and gets frustrated. If he lets this affect his game, he will be in trouble, therefore i hope someone can help him sort this side of his game out.

I have read about him possibly having adhd. If this is the case, this will be extremely difficult, and maybe something that he may just have to learn to live and play with. He could end up being one of those fantastic players like Ronnie 'O'Sullivan who play brilliant one minute, then play terrible the next. (when i say terrible, i mean by Ronnie standards of course) as these players strive for excellence and perfection, and when they cannot produce this excellence, their head goes.

[Matt_2745]

Matt, you are right none of the behaviours I describe are "unique".
I admit I struggle to put exact words on the impression I had, not only yesterday evening but all week. It's not that Luca is not good enough, it is that he at 14 is still only a kid - his behaviour showing that, and it's just normal - and accepting him in the pro tour would be highly risky for HIM and his development as a person. It's too hard and too much pressure.
Moreover I personally think 16 is the absolute lower limit. At 16 those guys - well the vast majority of them - haven't got an education that would allow them to fallback should they fail on the MT or should they get fed up with their job (like it happens sometimes in life). You very well know that players below 32 struggle to make a living, health accident do happen etc... Not to mention 16 is very early to decide for the rest of your future. What about 14 then? Plus there is the risk - a very real danger - of parents, coaches and others - pushing the kid at the risk of total burn out well beyond what he can cope with. It happens in other sports and it's extremely destructive.
There is another youngster in Duffel this week who's father is a high official in his national snooker federation and who is typically such a case. The boy is older than Luca though, old enough to be on the tour, but not any way near him talent wise. The pressure put on him is unfair and TBH he looked more miserable each day. To the point I heard some referees discussing his case and expressing their concern and pity at the situation.

Yeah I definitely agree with you there, the education angle is the one I would go down when arguing against the age limit. 14 is probably a bit early to decide to put your education on the back burner and pursue a financially uncertain career such as snooker.

Guess it's easy to say with super talented players like him that the age limit should be reduced but if it were, then it would probably tempt others who aren't so talented into taking the jump too soon and ending up totally lost.

[dannyd0g]

Ive yet to see Luca in action but isnt it true that the very best players - even level headed ones like Hendry and Davis were terribly bad loosers near the start of their careers. It was this hatred of loosing that made them go on to be so great.

[Monique]

Ive yet to see Luca in action but isnt it true that the very best players - even level headed ones like Hendry and Davis were terribly bad loosers near the start of their careers. It was this hatred of loosing that made them go on to be so great.

Yes Danny that's right, they ARE (not were, are ) but they had to learn to deal with their emotions and adapt their (public) behaviour. That takes time and maturity and that was my point: Luca is not quite there yet and at 14 that's only normal.

[dannyd0g]

(not were, are ) .

im sure they still hate to loose, but they certainly dont seem to be the awful loosers they once were. Hendry even had a laugh and joke with Ebdon after loosing to him recently which would have been inconceivable earlier. Davis's expecations are now far lower, he doesnt seem to expect to win his matches against the top players any more, which is just honestly facing the reality of the situation.