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Marco Fu

Postby lhpirnie

Marco Fu has been interviewed about his future:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzI0OD ... track=1#rd

He will almost certainly not play this season, and has asked for a wildcard for 2021. If he doesn't get one, then he will retire from competitive snooker.

He is back practicing 5 days per week, after several months when he could not, due to Covid-19 restrictions. His principal reason for not returning to the UK was the safety of his family, although he also says the eye problem is still bad.

I wonder if the decision to award wildcards in the future will be affected by what has happened with Stephen Hendry, who still hasn't entered any tournaments.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby HappyCamper

yes, i saw he had made a sixteen red clearance in a practice match the other day.

i suspect the positive experiences with doherty, wattana, white using their wildcards is enough to counter balance hendry's shenanigans. and the hong kong market is still a pretty big overseas one fro world snooker.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby SnookerEd25

It is a shame; I would like to see some kind of attempt to 'freeze' some players rankings, those (mainly overseas) players who have not been able to partake of a full season due to restrictions but I'm not sure how practical it is.

Mind you, given the standards of some of the matches I've seen in Q-school over the last few years, I would back Marco to re-qualify this way should he choose to enter (sounds like he might not have the inclination though)

Re: Marco Fu

Postby McManusFan

I really hope he gets his wildcard. I'm not in favour of them generally, but this year definately qualifies as exceptional circumstances.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby lhpirnie

SnookerEd25 wrote:It is a shame; I would like to see some kind of attempt to 'freeze' some players rankings, those (mainly overseas) players who have not been able to partake of a full season due to restrictions but I'm not sure how practical it is.

Mind you, given the standards of some of the matches I've seen in Q-school over the last few years, I would back Marco to re-qualify this way should he choose to enter (sounds like he might not have the inclination though)

Yes, the covid issues have affected the overseas players, particularly those from China. Even those who did come back have looked out of practice and have faced a loss of stress. I expect around 10 Chinese players (including Marco) to be relegated in 2021, which will take numbers down to around 12, including 4 who have a 2-year card and are still very weak.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby Juddernaut88

I hope Fu will be given a wildcard.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby Cloud Strife

I hope Barry Hearn sees sense and gives Marco a wildcard. It's the right thing to do in this instance.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby lhpirnie

McManusFan wrote:I really hope he gets his wildcard. I'm not in favour of them generally, but this year definately qualifies as exceptional circumstances.

Yes, people talk about White, Doherty, Wattana and Hendry. But it's also true that Hamza Akbar was given a wildcard, due to many travel issues which had damaged his ability to compete.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby SnookerEd25

Wasn't Hossein Vafaei given some sort of discretionary wildcard (for a 'third' year) when he first qualified for the tour, due to the first of his 2 years being virtually wiped out for UK tournaments by his inability to secure a work permit? (or something like that?)

Re: Marco Fu

Postby HappyCamper

lhpirnie wrote:
SnookerEd25 wrote:It is a shame; I would like to see some kind of attempt to 'freeze' some players rankings, those (mainly overseas) players who have not been able to partake of a full season due to restrictions but I'm not sure how practical it is.

Mind you, given the standards of some of the matches I've seen in Q-school over the last few years, I would back Marco to re-qualify this way should he choose to enter (sounds like he might not have the inclination though)

Yes, the covid issues have affected the overseas players, particularly those from China. Even those who did come back have looked out of practice and have faced a loss of stress. I expect around 10 Chinese players (including Marco) to be relegated in 2021, which will take numbers down to around 12, including 4 who have a 2-year card and are still very weak.


think this is slightly pessimistic. i think there are six who a (near enough) certain to drop. then maybe nine more at risk. so even with ten or so dropping off, a couple would likely get back via either q school or the one year list. plus are we not getting the usual two new csba nominations?

Re: Marco Fu

Postby The_Abbott

I agree. Marco should get a wild card for 2021. And then see how well he uses it. If he does a Hendry then I am fine with him not getting another but he deserves at least one to try and get back onto the tour. He can have Wattana's card!

Re: Marco Fu

Postby SnookerEd25

The_Abbott wrote:I agree. Marco should get a wild card for 2021. And then see how well he uses it. If he does a Hendry then I am fine with him not getting another but he deserves at least one to try and get back onto the tour. He can have Wattana's card!


He can have Hendry's card, far as I'm concerned :grrr: :grrr: :grrr:

Re: Marco Fu

Postby lhpirnie

HappyCamper wrote:
lhpirnie wrote:
SnookerEd25 wrote:It is a shame; I would like to see some kind of attempt to 'freeze' some players rankings, those (mainly overseas) players who have not been able to partake of a full season due to restrictions but I'm not sure how practical it is.

Mind you, given the standards of some of the matches I've seen in Q-school over the last few years, I would back Marco to re-qualify this way should he choose to enter (sounds like he might not have the inclination though)

Yes, the covid issues have affected the overseas players, particularly those from China. Even those who did come back have looked out of practice and have faced a loss of stress. I expect around 10 Chinese players (including Marco) to be relegated in 2021, which will take numbers down to around 12, including 4 who have a 2-year card and are still very weak.


think this is slightly pessimistic. i think there are six who a (near enough) certain to drop. then maybe nine more at risk. so even with ten or so dropping off, a couple would likely get back via either q school or the one year list. plus are we not getting the usual two new csba nominations?

Yes, I think the 2 new nominations will still happen, and these will most likely go to two young kids who will struggle to win a match.


At the end of the current season, Bai Langning, Lei Peifan, Chen Zifan, Xu Si, Si Jiahui, Chang Bingyu are almost certainly down. Then Marco Fu and Mei Xiwen are absent, and don't have enough points to stay up. Lyu Haotian, Luo Honghao and Lu Ning are in real trouble, after a bad 2019-20. They have been playing poorly, and time is running out. They may rely on a run in the World Championship.

A couple of them might re-qualify by Q School, but it is a bit of a lottery. Even if that happens, we're probably looking at fewer than 20 Chinese players in 2021-22. And some of those relegated players are very talented, it's a big setback. Snooker can hardly afford to squander such talent. The beneficiaries will be British players in their 30's and 40's.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby lhpirnie

SnookerEd25 wrote:
The_Abbott wrote:I agree. Marco should get a wild card for 2021. And then see how well he uses it. If he does a Hendry then I am fine with him not getting another but he deserves at least one to try and get back onto the tour. He can have Wattana's card!


He can have Hendry's card, far as I'm concerned :grrr: :grrr: :grrr:

I think wildcards should be for 1 year only. If they don't get back via the 1-year list, too bad. If they don't turn up to many tournaments, then at least they aren't in the system for another fallow year. We already have White, Doherty, Hendry and Pagett in 2021-22, which will limit the number of Q School places.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby GeF

lhpirnie wrote:We already have White, Doherty, Hendry and Pagett in 2021-22, which will limit the number of Q School places.

Only Jimmy is on his 2nd year card.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby The_Abbott

A one year wildcard or
a two year Jimmy card

Re: Marco Fu

Postby The_Abbott

SnookerFan wrote:Shame for Marco.


in what way? Its a shame he needs a Jimmy card or he should feel shame for asking for a card?

Re: Marco Fu

Postby SteveJJ

lhpirnie wrote:
HappyCamper wrote:
lhpirnie wrote:
SnookerEd25 wrote:It is a shame; I would like to see some kind of attempt to 'freeze' some players rankings, those (mainly overseas) players who have not been able to partake of a full season due to restrictions but I'm not sure how practical it is.

Mind you, given the standards of some of the matches I've seen in Q-school over the last few years, I would back Marco to re-qualify this way should he choose to enter (sounds like he might not have the inclination though)

Yes, the covid issues have affected the overseas players, particularly those from China. Even those who did come back have looked out of practice and have faced a loss of stress. I expect around 10 Chinese players (including Marco) to be relegated in 2021, which will take numbers down to around 12, including 4 who have a 2-year card and are still very weak.


think this is slightly pessimistic. i think there are six who a (near enough) certain to drop. then maybe nine more at risk. so even with ten or so dropping off, a couple would likely get back via either q school or the one year list. plus are we not getting the usual two new csba nominations?

Yes, I think the 2 new nominations will still happen, and these will most likely go to two young kids who will struggle to win a match.


At the end of the current season, Bai Langning, Lei Peifan, Chen Zifan, Xu Si, Si Jiahui, Chang Bingyu are almost certainly down. Then Marco Fu and Mei Xiwen are absent, and don't have enough points to stay up. Lyu Haotian, Luo Honghao and Lu Ning are in real trouble, after a bad 2019-20. They have been playing poorly, and time is running out. They may rely on a run in the World Championship.

A couple of them might re-qualify by Q School, but it is a bit of a lottery. Even if that happens, we're probably looking at fewer than 20 Chinese players in 2021-22. And some of those relegated players are very talented, it's a big setback. Snooker can hardly afford to squander such talent. The beneficiaries will be British players in their 30's and 40's.


Looking a bit brighter with Lu Ning's run and Chang Bingyu, Xu Si and Chen Zifan have put themselves in contention on the 1 yr list. Long way to go though

Re: Marco Fu

Postby Wildey

McManusFan wrote:I really hope he gets his wildcard. I'm not in favour of them generally, but this year definately qualifies as exceptional circumstances.

i just think nobody should fall off this season and no q school etc lets get the tour back in to normality and then see how things goes by end of 2021/2022 season

Re: Marco Fu

Postby lhpirnie

Wildey wrote:
McManusFan wrote:I really hope he gets his wildcard. I'm not in favour of them generally, but this year definately qualifies as exceptional circumstances.

i just think nobody should fall off this season and no q school etc lets get the tour back in to normality and then see how things goes by end of 2021/2022 season

If they were going to hold a Q School in August 2020, then they will certainly hold one in 2021. Cancelling a Q School would have all sorts of ramifications to the tour structure, which is based around 2-year tour cards.

Re: Marco Fu

Postby HappyCamper

marco fu's birthday today. happy birthday marco fu!