Ssb - jungle jimmy gets wembley wildcard

[Templeton Peck]

I think it's the right decision. If we are going to reinvigorate snooker then let's have Jimmy there packing out the arena, instead of just another match attended by one man and his dog. The Hendry-Davis match at the UK proved the snooker doesn't have to be of the highest quality to be appealing, the game needs players the crowds can get behind.

[Odrl]

He re-put snooker on the radar of all the people [ anyone know what the viewership was? ] who watched him play Jungle Jimmy.

That's worth a ticket, wouldn't you say mate?

Sorry, but I remain unconvinced on this one.

I don't believe for a second that White appeared on that show in the name of promoting snooker. If anything, missing snooker events to do other stuff is a huge argument against this decision in my book.

[CueAntW147]

I agree with you. I think it's great that jim has got the wildcard. The whole point is to get bums on seats and Jimmy will achieve this no problem.

Thank you..........it was getting a bit one sided for my liking

Merry Christmas

[CueAntW147]

Of course you are not the only one whos glad Jimmy got the wildcard. I cant wait to see him playing at the Masters. And this discussion about Wenbo is one sidede IMO. The fact is Jimmy deserves this wildcard for everything he did for snooker. Wenbo will play at the Masters in the next years, this year is Jimmys time.

Great Stuff..............

Totally agree.........

[Templeton Peck]

I enjoy watching Liang but we get to see him at most tournaments these days - if we only get to see Jimmy at one tournament a season now we should look upon that as a rare treat!

[wildJONESEYE]

I think it's the right decision. If we are going to reinvigorate snooker then let's have Jimmy there packing out the arena, instead of just another match attended by one man and his dog. The Hendry-Davis match at the UK proved the snooker doesn't have to be of the highest quality to be appealing, the game needs players the crowds can get behind.

whats the point hes past it his ranking is near finished.

yes the game needs players the public can get behind but we dont want Jimmy playing Steve on zimmerframes. we need to look for the future create new stars not repeat itself like indigestion.

[CueAntW147]

Can't believe eveyones giving Barry Hearn a hard time i'm not his biggest fan but at the end of the day if he helps make snooker great again thats all that matters, & i hope he does.

All he's done here is given one of the most popular players the games ever seen a place at one of the most popular tournaments.........which is the best decision in my book for snooker & snooker fans alike......

[CueAntW147]

whats the point hes past it his ranking is near finished.

yes the game needs players the public can get behind but we dont want Jimmy playing Steve on zimmerframes. we need to look for the future create new stars not repeat itself like indigestion.

Jimmy's still capable of playing to a high standard he's not quite finished yet.......everyone struggles at the qualifiers in cubicles & there's plenty of good players there trying...... agree we should look to the future, but for now this is the right thing to do........

[wildJONESEYE]

Can't believe eveyones giving Barry Hearn a hard time i'm not his biggest fan but at the end of the day if he helps make snooker great again thats all that matters, & i hope he does.

All he's done here is given one of the most popular players the games ever seen a place at one of the most popular tournaments.........which is the best decision in my book for snooker & snooker fans alike......

how will make snooker great again playing middle age players ?

then when they retire we up the creek.

[superaussie]

how will make snooker great again playing middle age players ?

then when they retire we up the creek.

spot on its a short term fix and if rod walker was still chairman and he had made this call he would be getting critiscisded for not looking after snooker's future and he would be accused of trying to paper over the cracks

[crucible77]

Im sure it has already been said, but that is a shocking decision

[Templeton Peck]

whats the point hes past it his ranking is near finished.

yes the game needs players the public can get behind but we dont want Jimmy playing Steve on zimmerframes. we need to look for the future create new stars not repeat itself like indigestion.

Because if you send Liang to Wembley then you get another empty arena. If snooker were a Westend musical the curtains would have come down on it years ago. I don't understand why snooker fans refuse to acknowedege that the games needs players and matches that have appeal that bring in the crowds if you want to attract sponsors and broadcasters. Jimmy is an asset to the game, not a burden like half the posters on this thread seem to think. If the running of the game were left to you Wild it would shrivel up and die and then there would be no snooker for anyone! Barry Hearn knows snooker, knows what it needs, and at the moment it needs Jimmy.

[wildJONESEYE]

Jimmy's still capable of playing to a high standard he's not quite finished yet.......everyone struggles at the qualifiers in cubicles & there's plenty of good players there trying...... agree we should look to the future, but for now this is the right thing to do........

look theres 2 ways to go with wild cards young players to give them experiance even someone like Wells or Michael White or reward it for achieving something in the game not playing Happy families with George Hamilton and Jordan.

[superaussie]

Because if you send Liang to Wembley then you get another empty arena. If snooker were a Westend musical the curtains would have come down on it years ago. I don't understand why snooker fans refuse to acknowedege that the games needs players and matches that have appeal that bring in the crowds if you want to attract sponsors and broadcasters. Jimmy is an asset to the game, not a burden like half the posters on this thread seem to think. If the running of the game were left to you Wild it would shrivel up and die and then there would be no snooker for anyone! Barry Hearn knows snooker, knows what it needs, and at the moment it needs Jimmy.

its called papering over the cracks

[montoya10]

I'm quite surprised with the decision..

Jimmy has produced some good performances in World Series, so, another big athmosphere can help him to play better than he does at the qualifiers..

I'm happy for him, but at the same time, there were players that deserved the wildcard more, so it does not sound as a good decision..