facebook live interview with Stephen Hendry

[JimMalone]

I wonder how old he was when he first saw a coach. Obviously if he knocked a century in without one he would always have been a really good player. I wonder he would have been the player he is without seeing a coach or he would have still won 7 world titles; that might have been a good question for him.

Can't imagine you can come as far as even winning one world title without ever seeing a coach.

[markz]

I wonder how old he was when he first saw a coach. Obviously if he knocked a century in without one he would always have been a really good player. I wonder he would have been the player he is without seeing a coach or he would have still won 7 world titles; that might have been a good question for him.

From what he said he only saw the 3 coaches later on in his career. Sounds like it created more problems than solutions. He should've just joined tsf lol.

[jrc750]

From what he said he only saw the 3 coaches later on in his career. Sounds like it created more problems than solutions. He should've just joined tsf lol.

Lol imagine he came on here his head would be battered with all this spin transfer nonsense ehh

[itsnoteasy]

I wonder how old he was when he first saw a coach. Obviously if he knocked a century in without one he would always have been a really good player. I wonder he would have been the player he is without seeing a coach or he would have still won 7 world titles; that might have been a good question for him.

Not seen the interview but I'm pretty sure he gave FC, a lot of credit for helping him.

[throtts]

A century within 2 months of his table from his parents, wow. Natural ability.

He didn't need to see a coach, did he?. The 3 coach opinions screwed him up in between his ears. As is always said, this game at all levels is a lot to do with whats going on in your head.

Some dudes do the line up and practice at a high standard, come competition time they get confused when amongst the balls. Nothing flows..

[Shockerz]

Not seen the interview but I'm pretty sure he gave FC, a lot of credit for helping him.

I understand what he was saying when he learned good and bad things from coaches but I would doubt any modern day player has come the whole way on natural talent and not seen a coach at all.

If there is then I'm sure you could count them on one hand.

I don't think Jimmy White ever saw a coach? No-one else springs to mind.

[Shockerz]

It was interesting he didn't have much to say about Ronnie.

[travisbickle]

When you see the 14 year old Hendry on jr Pot Black he looks very ordinary, no where near the natural talent O Sullivan was at the same age.
But he came on leaps and bounds by the time he made his Crucible debut.

[Ramon]

As Alex Higgins said "it would be all right for growing tomatoes up". Alex had a wicked sense of humour at times.

interesting way you put it in my friend .

Well, That's the problem with high deflection cues.
You can play with it. making necessary adjusments in your aiming and technique and get used to it ( Especially someone as S Hendry. I mean these guys not going to the club just two times a week, they put some hard work in it )

However , the real trouble starts when you lose it or decide to swich to other cue ( on whatever reason ) .
It's gonna be very hard to get used to the new one .
I realy think this was the turning point in his game.

[jonny66]

When you see the 14 year old Hendry on jr Pot Black he looks very ordinary, no where near the natural talent O Sullivan was at the same age.
But he came on leaps and bounds by the time he made his Crucible debut.

Ronnie started much younger than Stephen Hendry.

[vmax]

I understand what he was saying when he learned good and bad things from coaches but I would doubt any modern day player has come the whole way on natural talent and not seen a coach at all.

If there is then I'm sure you could count them on one hand.

I don't think Jimmy White ever saw a coach? No-one else springs to mind.

Coaching is a modern phenomenon, back in the day you were either good at something or you weren't. Higgins, Reardon and Spencer didn't have coaching, Joe Davis didn't, Walter Lindrum didn't either, his dad was a billiards champion who simply gave him table time to work it out for himself, started off with only giving him one ball to play with, then added a second and then the third.

It must irk to be as good as Hendry and turn to someone who can't do it anywhere near as good as he is and hear that he's doing it wrong

[ken147]

Most of the professionals have talent for the game, some more than others. What sets them apart is the mental side, handling the pressure and having the bottle for when it matters.

Pros on a practice table can pot the lamp shades of the table but how many can do it well when it really matters on the big stage in front of 1000 people?

Hendry had a sound technique even though he didn't cue centre ball (according to Chris Henry) but did that affect his consistency? NO. The problem with Hendry was he peaked at 30 and breaking his cue compounded the problem.

[Shockerz]

Coaching is a modern phenomenon, back in the day you were either good at something or you weren't. Higgins, Reardon and Spencer didn't have coaching, Joe Davis didn't, Walter Lindrum didn't either, his dad was a billiards champion who simply gave him table time to work it out for himself, started off with only giving him one ball to play with, then added a second and then the third.

It must irk to be as good as Hendry and turn to someone who can't do it anywhere near as good as he is and hear that he's doing it wrong

It's a good debate. Are standards much higher today with some of that difference going to coaching or is it a false hope and doesn't help at all; personally coaching has a place in all sports but, there are bad coaches and ones that can ruin natural talent.

[Ramon]

It's a good debate. Are standards much higher today with some of that difference going to coaching or is it a false hope and doesn't help at all; personally coaching has a place in all sports but, there are bad coaches and ones that can ruin natural talent.

Com on Marc,

They asked Neil Robertson what is highest quality snooker you have ever seen?
He said the 2005 Masters Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins.
Could'nt agree more with him.
What Ronni did in that match was just about perfection.
I bet if you would program a gaming software, he would'nt be able to play like Ronni did.

Some of the matches between S Hendry & Ronni
knowing as highest standard snooker in all round game. Which until today are the best snooker matches in the history of this game, imo.

Do you realy think you can achieve that kind of standard by coaching?

No doubt, the game has changed compared to 40 years ago and no doubt, coaching has done and privided some valuable contribution to the game indeed .

but at the end, it was the talent of those players (likes, Ronni , Hendry, Alex, Jimmy) which brought the game to the next level and opened a new world of snooker to the new generation.

[Shockerz]

Com on Marc,

They asked Neil Robertson what is highest quality snooker you have ever seen?
He said the 2005 Masters Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins.
Could'nt agree more with him.
What Ronni did in that match was just about perfection.
I bet if you would program a gaming software, he would'nt be able to play like Ronni did.

Some of the matches between S Hendry & Ronni
knowing as highest standard snooker in all round game. Which until today are the best snooker matches in the history of this game, imo.

Do you realy think you can achieve that kind of standard by coaching?

No doubt, the game has changed compared to 40 years ago and no doubt, coaching has done and privided some valuable contribution to the game indeed .

but at the end, it was the talent of those players (likes, Ronni , Hendry, Alex, Jimmy) which brought the game to the next level and opened a new world of snooker to the new generation.

Oh, this is heating up......love it!

I certainly agree with most of what you said mate. I'm more comparing it to back in the 80's and before where coaching was rare.

Thing is, in sports, you could have 30 guys who have benefited from coaching and then a guy with amazing natural talent comes along and people point to that guy to say the others didn't need it to get to where they did.

I'm sure all the modern day players (post 80's) all seek a coach out at some point to develop.

Hendry clearly did on at least 3 occasions for certain reasons and won 7 world titles, would he have won as many? Probably, but we'll never know and there lies the debate.

I don't think Jimmy White ever had any coaching and when his Grandson asked how he did things he wasn't quite sure himself as he just does it!

I think there are two types of personalities in sport, ones that just do it and definitely don't want any 3rd party help as it's not them and others that at some point will seek help when they come up against an issue and they will always do that.

Ballesteros was probably the most amazing natural talent in golf and went for coaching to get his game to win in the states and the coaches destroyed what was natural but I'll guarantee that every top player now has coaching built onto their natural game to survive whether it be technique or mind coaching.

Do I think Alex would survive nowadays with all his natural talent? If he got dragged down by Davis he would spontaneously combustion with frustration with the technical (and natural) talent that is even at club level in this era.

Like the debate though!