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Ssb - grudge match awaits
Judging by the respective comments from Mark Allen and Stuart Bingham after each won through to the quarter-finals of the Australian Goldfields Open their encounter tomorrow could accurately be described as a grudge match.
I'll leave it to them. Allen first:
"There's a bit of history between us. We don't get on.
"He said about getting revenge on Ding for his Crucible defeat but it would be nice to send him back where he belongs.
"He doesn't like me because I told the truth in a press conference that he has no bottle, no balls, and as he threw away a match after leading 12-9. I think that showed it.
"It was great he did because that let the legend that is Stephen Hendry stay in the top 16 and I would rather see Hendry in the top 16 than Bingham."
The match Allen is referring to there is their UK Championship quarter-final last season, which he won 9-7.
On being told of what Allen said, Bingham responded:
"I can't wait to play this match. He said a few words after the UK Championship which were a bit out of order and I've been waiting for this match for a while.
"He said I've got no bottle and he thought he was never going to lose. I will definitely be up for it.
"I don't know what happened. With the game I was gutted I lost as I would've got into the semi-finals. I remember I shook his hand and didn't say anything. He took that to heart.
"But I don't care what he thinks. We're here to do a job and hopefully I will win. It will give me more pleasure to beat him.
"It's all mind games and I'm better player now than I was. He's an idiot."
Historically players who engage in this sort of talk are on a hiding to nothing. They fire up their opponent and set themselves up for a fall.
Ronnie O'Sullivan famously did this at the 2002 World Championship with some ill advised, and untrue, remarks about Stephen Hendry.
Hendry beat him 17-13, although this spat was eventually patched up.
I've no doubt Allen, and possibly Bingham, will draw criticism for their comments but I'd much rather the players were honest than simply mouth platitudes that they don't mean.
In the past they were threatened with disciplinary action purely for speaking their minds.
But the stuff of sport is rivalry. Why should the players all be friends? Why shouldn't they have opinions on one another?
It happens at every other work place.
Still, the pre and post match handshakes should be interesting tomorrow.
More...
I'll leave it to them. Allen first:
"There's a bit of history between us. We don't get on.
"He said about getting revenge on Ding for his Crucible defeat but it would be nice to send him back where he belongs.
"He doesn't like me because I told the truth in a press conference that he has no bottle, no balls, and as he threw away a match after leading 12-9. I think that showed it.
"It was great he did because that let the legend that is Stephen Hendry stay in the top 16 and I would rather see Hendry in the top 16 than Bingham."
The match Allen is referring to there is their UK Championship quarter-final last season, which he won 9-7.
On being told of what Allen said, Bingham responded:
"I can't wait to play this match. He said a few words after the UK Championship which were a bit out of order and I've been waiting for this match for a while.
"He said I've got no bottle and he thought he was never going to lose. I will definitely be up for it.
"I don't know what happened. With the game I was gutted I lost as I would've got into the semi-finals. I remember I shook his hand and didn't say anything. He took that to heart.
"But I don't care what he thinks. We're here to do a job and hopefully I will win. It will give me more pleasure to beat him.
"It's all mind games and I'm better player now than I was. He's an idiot."
Historically players who engage in this sort of talk are on a hiding to nothing. They fire up their opponent and set themselves up for a fall.
Ronnie O'Sullivan famously did this at the 2002 World Championship with some ill advised, and untrue, remarks about Stephen Hendry.
Hendry beat him 17-13, although this spat was eventually patched up.
I've no doubt Allen, and possibly Bingham, will draw criticism for their comments but I'd much rather the players were honest than simply mouth platitudes that they don't mean.
In the past they were threatened with disciplinary action purely for speaking their minds.
But the stuff of sport is rivalry. Why should the players all be friends? Why shouldn't they have opinions on one another?
It happens at every other work place.
Still, the pre and post match handshakes should be interesting tomorrow.
More...
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