Ssb - the magnificent seven

[MySockPuppet]

This year's Premier League will feature Shaun Murphy, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui, Mark Williams, Mark Selby and Marco Fu.

Murphy is defending champion and Fu won the Championship League, the qualifying event.

All the others are major tournament winners from last season.

O'Sullivan won the Shanghai Masters, Robertson the World Championship and Grand Prix, Ding the UK Championship, Selby the Wembley Masters and Williams the China Open.

John Higgins is still suspended by the WPBSA and, even though this situation may have changed by the time the League starts in September, organisers have to put tickets on sale and so have not selected him.

Stephen Hendry, who hasn't won a ranking title for five years, misses out for the first time in over 20 years.

The full list of fixtures are on the official website here.


More...

[Looki]

I'm very pleased to see Mark Williams' name on the list.

[kellie-text]

Me too, the right seven are there in my opinion. You wouldnt have chosen Fu but he earned his place dair and square.

[ore]

..no Hendry?

[Odrl]

Well, it's not really a surprise. After all, Hendry did publicly oppose Hearn in the takeover bid. And there was just not enough room anyway.

I wonder who would have been left out if Higgins was in the picture as well...

[Looki]

I wonder who would have been left out if Higgins was in the picture as well...

Williams or Ding, probably Williams. Murphy and Fu earned their place fair and square. Robertson is reigning World champion. O'Sullivan's name is written on the list forever, like Hendry's was until now Selby won the Masters which is one of the most prestigious events and also his "rivalry" with O'Sullivan is apt for attracting crowds. Ding was very consistent last season and also won UK so if Higgins was there I think, although very consistent too and a ranking tournament winner, Williams would've been out.

[Monique]

Well, it's not really a surprise. After all, Hendry did publicly oppose Hearn in the takeover bid. And there was just not enough room anyway.

I wonder who would have been left out if Higgins was in the picture as well...

I don't think it has anything to do with Hendry's opposition to Hearn. All selected players have won a major tournament, or the PL itself, last season bar Fu who won the qualifying event. So clearly it's a choice based of form and achievements, not popularity. Davis isn't there neither and after his run in the WC he surely is very "popular" and he's the matchroom boy. Hendry hasn't won anything since 2005 and hasn't exactly set snooker alight over the last year. That's all there is IMO.

[Odrl]

I don't think it has anything to do with Hendry's opposition to Hearn. All selected players have won a major tournament, or the PL itself, last season bar Fu who won the qualifying event. So clearly it's a choice based of form and achievements, not popularity. Davis isn't there neither and after his run in the WC he surely is very "popular" and he's the matchroom boy. Hendry hasn't won anything since 2005 and hasn't exactly set snooker alight over the last year. That's all there is IMO.

You could be right.

Although Hendry has been in the same position for a couple of years now, and was still always invited ahead of more competitive players. It was just a matter of time before he was finally left out, and after he failed to publicly support Hearn, I had a feeling it would be this year. And then there was also the fact that he had been looking less and less likely to win the event in recent years.

[Mignon]

I don't think it has anything to do with Hendry's opposition to Hearn. All selected players have won a major tournament, or the PL itself, last season bar Fu who won the qualifying event. So clearly it's a choice based of form and achievements, not popularity. Davis isn't there neither and after his run in the WC he surely is very "popular" and he's the matchroom boy. Hendry hasn't won anything since 2005 and hasn't exactly set snooker alight over the last year. That's all there is IMO.

My opinion too. Life’s cruel and the PL is definitely not meant to be a nostalgia corner for old timers like me....

[wildJONESEYE]

You could be right.

Although Hendry has been in the same position for a couple of years now, and was still always invited ahead of more competitive players. It was just a matter of time before he was finally left out, and after he failed to publicly support Hearn, I had a feeling it would be this year. And then there was also the fact that he had been looking less and less likely to win the event in recent years.

Jimmy White was dropped eventually despite being picked for some time doing nothing much same with Steve Davis and now Hendry. to be fair to hearn he has shown great respect to these legends but eventually it was time to move on.

it really is a no brainer players has to win and picking Hendry now after his mediocrity speech would have been contradicting.

[ore]

I don't think it has anything to do with Hendry's opposition to Hearn. All selected players have won a major tournament, or the PL itself, last season bar Fu who won the qualifying event. So clearly it's a choice based of form and achievements, not popularity. Davis isn't there neither and after his run in the WC he surely is very "popular" and he's the matchroom boy. Hendry hasn't won anything since 2005 and hasn't exactly set snooker alight over the last year. That's all there is IMO.

Well PL is very much about attracting crowds, by including 'premium' class and/or fame players to compete, was is will always be. The main criteria of choosing who is invited is "the winner" of something (recent.. or not necessarily ); this criteria is of course interpreted the way it is comfortable for the organizers (so yes they choose from the achievers, but they choose from them pretty much based popularity).
People want to see winners, and that's who PL is inviting.
Would Hendry have been invited for the last few years just based on competitiveness/latest year's wins?

Sure this year's list seems refreshingly based on recent competitiveness, but I don't think that means the rules of the game who's invited to PL would have been changed (if Murphy or Fu would not have a secure place (say Ronnie would have won PL & Robertson - CL), I'm pretty sure at least one of Hendry or Davis would be in next season's PL).

Just maybe the time has come when names like O'Sullivan & Williams are long-lasting and heavy enough that Hendry or Davis are not a necessity to be included anymore... Oh well I guess they would still be pretty attractive for ticket buyers in the UK Which would then mean Odrl might have a point.

And maybe Selby is finally considered to have gained enough of popularity to be invited after winning Masters again, and defeating O'Sullivan every now & then.