2018 World Championship

[JimMalone]

I think this topic has been talked to death already. Whatever people think about this incident I find it dubious to exclude Higgins from being one of the all-time great players.
He has four world titles, 30 ranking titles and has ended a season as world number one on four occasions. Those numbers in the Crucible era are only bettered by Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and Ronnie O'Sullivan.

[Neil Taperell]

I didn't say he was. But the types of people that operate in that kind of environment are hardly going to be angels are they.

Higgins stated the reason he didn't report the matter was because he was worried about the possible repercussions.

That is good enough for me and was good enough for the authorities.

I'm still to be convinced , a very easy get out line though . I suppose we will never know the exact truth .

[Mark187187]

I remember seeing the video (without any context) at the time and thinking, wow I can't believe it, he's finished...but then when it all came out his explanation was pretty reasonable. If you were in a room full of people you thought were gangsters would you not agree to whatever they said and just get out of there as quickly as possible?

He probably thought they were genuinely scary people, not a bunch of actors hired to set him up, so its even understandable why he didn't report it (albeit that's the only real criticism you could make, that once home he should have called the WPBSA asap).

Personally I believe he's clean for what its worth.

I think the other issue, is that Higgins is damned by the 3 minutes of footage the NOTW edited together, whereas the decision not to press charges was based on the full footage of this meeting, and two previous meetings where Higgins is hooked into thinking he is negotiating a sponsorship deal.

Regardless of the details of that meeting, he's been a pro for 25 years without any suspicion that he has fixed any particular match, so I don't really know why nearly 10 years after being found that he didn't fix any matches people still bang on about it. Lots of times there is smoke without fire, such a shame that phrase is still used to damn someone where there isn't any evidence.

[JimMalone]

Ding through to the quarters. He has lost only seven frames so far.

[vjmehra]

I think the other issue, is that Higgins is damned by the 3 minutes of footage the NOTW edited together, whereas the decision not to press charges was based on the full footage of this meeting, and two previous meetings where Higgins is hooked into thinking he is negotiating a sponsorship deal.

Regardless of the details of that meeting, he's been a pro for 25 years without any suspicion that he has fixed any particular match, so I don't really know why nearly 10 years after being found that he didn't fix any matches people still bang on about it. Lots of times there is smoke without fire, such a shame that phrase is still used to damn someone where there isn't any evidence.

Yes very true, the full video was never made public was it (or at least if it was I haven't seen it)?

[JimMalone]

Does anybody know Ricky Walden personally? I've always wondered what kind of guy he was as I never read much about him or heard any interviews with him.

[richiet]

Does anybody know Ricky Walden personally? I've always wondered what kind of guy he was as I never read much about him or heard any interviews with him.

The Snooker Scene podcast did a nice interview with Ricky a couple of months ago.

Here it is... https://podtail.com/en/podcast/snook...-ricky-walden/

[fkhan]

Ricky Walden is putting up a good show.

[JimMalone]

The Snooker Scene podcast did a nice interview with Ricky a couple of months ago.

Here it is... [URL="https://podtail.com/en/podcast/snooker-scene-podcast/snooker-scene-podcast-episode-64-ricky-walden[/URL]

Thanks, but sadly it didn't work.

I found a short Q&A from on the Internet. It's from 2009 though. But at least he states there that Zinedine Zidane has always been his sporting hero (aside from Snooker). That's already enough for me to like Ricky :biggrin:

[richiet]

Thanks, but sadly it didn't work.

I found a short Q&A from on the Internet. It's from 2009 though. But at least he states there that Zinedine Zidane has always been his sporting hero (aside from Snooker). That's already enough for me to like Ricky :biggrin:

I've re-done the link, should be fine now
https://podtail.com/en/podcast/snook...-ricky-walden/

[JimMalone]

I've re-done the link, should be fine now
https://podtail.com/en/podcast/snook...-ricky-walden/

Thank you!

[peterpackage]

9 all is fair

[mcsilks]

McManus as a commentator is growing on me with his rather interesting comments.

[Guitarnolife]

Hoping for Ricky to win this, but what a great break by Trump there!

[cidermaster]

Ricky Walden is putting up a good show.

He was until that stupid attempt and that very very hard red