Ian McCulloch Interview March 2007

[ferret]

Firstly we are going to kick off with some questions from our members and affiliates of Jesters Snooker Hall, who are namely Dave, James, Bill and Matt.


Q1. I would ask Ian why he plays a lot of shots with left hand side?
I didn't know i did !! As long as they go in the hole i'm not botthered how i hit them.

Q2. How did you feel when you did get in to the top 16 to effectively not be in the top 16 due to Shaun Murphy being outside the top 16 when he won his world title and therefore became 2nd seed for every ranking event and 1st for the worlds, effectively pushing you down to 17th and meaning that you had to qualify for every event?
Absolutely gutted, it was the second year running because Greame Dott had reached the final the year before and done the same thing to me. I think I have shown my strenth of character as for next year i'm in a great position and i will get back in top 16.

Q3. How often do you practise? and which other professional players do you practice with?

6-8 hours every day, i'm in The Regal Snooker Club every morning , if i'm not away at 9am and don't leave untill after 5pm. I often pick the balls out for Dave Harold, Ricky Walden and Rod Lawler.

Q4. Do you have any set practise routines?

Yes I have a lot of routines which my coach (Mick Caddy) has developed for me over the years, rather than do run of the mill stuff its all tailored to strengthen the parts of my game which I am noty happy with at any certain time.

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Q5. What do you think about all the 'kicks' in the game and would you welcome a solution that has largely been ignored, for example the oil replenishing method?

I think all ideas should be given a chance, with regards to kicks personally i think its down to atmospherics.

Q6. What tips do you use? Elks, Blues Diamonds or Talismam, and what is your preferred method of shaping / fitting you tip?

No idea, the are all the same to me they are only different in peoples heads.

Q7. What is your view on how Chris Small has been dealt with regarding the benevolent trust fund that will not help him?

I didn't know chris was having any problems with the fund. It's tragic what has happened to chris he's a great lad and was a class match player. I know first hand what sort of pain he is in as my dad suffers from the same problem.

Q8. What make of cue do you use?
It's a rilet burwat. I bought it in 1987.

Q9. How do you put up with distractions in the game, like when Ronnie O'Sullivan put a towel on his head once when playing you?

Does't bother me one bit, I find it quite amusing and I take it as a compliment that if someone like Ronnie has to do something like that to gain an edge to beat me then i must be doing something right, ask Ronnie how he feels when I beat him!!!(We will don\'t worry)

Q10. Do you ever get mistaken for the Crystal Palace / Aston Villa keeper Gabor Kiraly?

No, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt usually.

Q11. When you play an exhibition match you are very generous / brave to forfeit the fee if you do not get a century break, what are the statistics for paid VS FREE exhibitions?

Failed 3 times out of about 500 nights, nobody wants to take the challenge anymore. My best night was in 1998 in The Ambassadeur Snooker Club in Kirkaldy, Scotland. I had 7 tons and a 147 in 10 frames, I also had 2 maximums in a exhibition the other night in Preston.

Q12. What are your main strengths and weaknesses in the game?

I don't have any weasknesses just some parts are stronger than others.

Now some questions from the club

Q1. What or who has been your biggest influences in snooker?

Coach Mick Caddy, Dennis Taylor and Dave Harold have all helped.

Q2. What advice can you give to our younger members at the club?

Play every shot with 100% commitment regardless of the situation and never have any regrets. If you think you played the wrong shot after you've played it, you wern't commited in the first place. Also work very hard at your game if you want to be successfull, hard work doesn't guarantee success but it does reduce your chances of failure.

Q3. It has been known that sports psychologists have been employed by a few of the pros on the circuit including yourself, what are your views on sports psychologists and how important do you think they are?

Everybody has parts of there game that could be stronger, if its your mind that isn't right as it is in a lot of cases then shrinks are the right people to see. Iv'e worked with Greame Slater for 6 years now and it was the best thing I ever did. To improve at anything you have to make changes and most people are affraid of change.

Q4. If you could play 3 frames with any person past or present and they don?t have to be a professional snooker player who would it be? And why?

Good question, Lance Armstrong would be good one, i'd ask him what made him do what he did, Mike Tyson would be another just to see what goes on his mind and my pal Billy Craven who saddly died last summer, he used to be more upset than me when i got beat.

Q5. You recently launched your own website which is great for the fans as the only way for them to get information about their favourite players is usually through interviews like this one. Are you going to be answering question from your fans on the site in the future?

yes i think so .

Q6. What snooker websites do you visit on a regular basis?

Global Snooker is very good I think Janie does a great job.

Q7. Is there any snooker innovation that has really caught your eye but has not yet made it to or past the WPBSA board?

There have been lots of very good ideas that have not been passed by the WPBSA but it doesnt mean they are bad.

Q8. The last BIG innovation that I can think of was The HookRest which got approved by the WPBSA and is now in use on the main circuit, do you think it has made a difference in the game? The last time I can recall that it was used in a ranking tournament was last year at the 888.com world Championship at Sheffield.

Don't know really it doesn't seem to get used that much.

Q9. While we are on the subject of the World Championship, Congratulations on qualifying this year (Beating The Space Man Dominic Dale 10-4) do you have any predictions for this years final?

I dont care who is in the final as long as im there with them.

Q10. Can we see a Ian McCulloch snooker cue range in the near future? And if so who would you get to manufacture your cues?

Definately, North West Cues do a lot for me on that sort of thing.

Q11. With so many great young players out there on the pro-am circuit do you think that some of the smaller competitions should be if not televised but broadcasted over the internet?

Television is very expensive so to televise a pro am event the figures won't add up. When we played in Holland before xmas hr had 2 tables linked up with the internet and the picture was great so im all for that.

Q12. What has been your favourite competition to play in to date?

They have all been great to play in but getting to the final of The Grand Prix at Preston was very special in my home town.

Q13. Do you have a set routine before your matches?
Not really i just go with the flow

Q14. True Level have been down to the club and levelled our match tables (22 & 1) which players at the club like Lee Evans and club coach Paul Rose have said the tables are in a far better shape and much more level then previously. Yourself and John Higgins have endorsed True Level, as you come from an engineering background, perhaps you are more qualified than most snooker players to grasp the concept of what they do and how much of an impact their service can have on the professional game. Do you think that the WPBSA should endorse the service offer by Bill Jones at True Level?

Bill's ideas are very good and the equipment he uses is first clast, as I said earlier just because some poeple are against it doesn't mean it is rubbish or bad.

Q15. Out of all the Snooker Halls around the UK which you have played exhibition matches adn pro-am competitoins do you have a favorite or preffered club?

Not really i've played in thousands over the years, good and bad. The Ambessadeur Club in Kirkcaldy is probably the plushest i've ever been in but also The Regal Club where im based now takes some beating.