The Debate: Greatest Player of All Time | Snooker Vodcast | Eurosport
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- Опубликовано: 19 апр 2020
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![Sean Rii, Karyon, Sharzkii - Taungule [My Love] (Official Music Video)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eJoMuypbSzQ/mqdefault.jpg)
When Ronnie is in full flow,Ive never seen anyone play the game like he can,sometimes I cant believe what I am watching,its like auto-pilot,just ridiculous how he can win a frame in such a short space of time,it really is laughable.
And then flips to playing left handed against the best in the game 😱😱😱👍👍unbelievable
One thing they didn’t mention is playing under pressure. If you look at Davis and ROS, if players were beating them or causing them problems then you’d think there’s a chance they might get beat. With Hendry, it was never done until it was done. I can think of 2 or 3 unbelievable comebacks Hendry made in big matches as well as victories when it was tight (1994 World Final) but you can’t say that about the other two really. The closest snooker has to that at the moment is Selby; you can never write him off in a match, especially a multi-session one.
Most of Hendry's titles came at the expense of Jimmy White who was notorious for chocking in big matches.
@@Mitjitsu Hendry revolutionised snooker aggressive straight into the pack. White is mates with ronnie so has to say him. I'd take hendry peak over ronnie peak anyday in Sheffield over four sessions as much as I love ronnie
@@Mitjitsu There were other players in the tournament tho. So that shows Jimmy was better than Ronnie, Higgins, Williams, Hunter etc.
Total nonsense. Hendry did not win the 94 Final, White lost it by missing that black of the spot. Same goes for 92 when White became the first and only player to blow a 14 - 8 lead in a World Final. Basically he was the biggest choker in the history of sport.
Another example is the 91 Masters final where Hallet only needed the pink of its spot to win 9- 2 but promptly missed. He had chances in all the frames after that but somehow managed the biggest collapse at the finish line since Devon Loch.
@Draken Lockheart Ronnie had the most fierce competition i think. Look at how many centuries, maximum breaks and even just frames won in one visit, Ronnie dominated when the standard was higher than ever and he's been winning ranking events for nearly 30 years, sometimes when he hardly ever plays in a season.
Master Ronnie O'Sullivan Speed and Style Amazing to watch👌 💯💯💯💥💥💥💣
Hendry the most ruthless winner. Ronnie the most outragiously gifted.
No he can't. He's had an excellent 18 months and finally won the world's but he's still not got Ronnie's incredible cue ball control. Nor his consecutive century break building prowess. Ronnie's run off 5 and even 6 centuries in a match. When Trump's achievements match Ronnie then you may have a point.
@Wayne Holmes Judd Chump has a lot to prove. Come back when he has bagged 19 majors, otherwise on the same level as fat boy Murphy.
@@SnookerFan-kl1jj pig Murphy
The Guvnor can do and actually doing are two very different things. World champion 2020 and 6 time winner - Ronnie O’Sullivan. The other countless accolades and records are too many to list here. Greatest of all time
No one has Ronnie’s natural talent and no one has Stephen’s drive and focus.
Glad they mentioned Hunter. I remember them Masters finals. He was a World Champion in the making. He was a brilliant player and was so cool under pressure. Very sad, he was a superstar that never had the chance to flourish.
Lovely for Fouldsy to give Paul Hunter a shout out. Was on his way to becoming an all-time great. RIP.
O'Sullivan no question. To compete at 40 plus is the reason why. But Hendry's snooker knowledge is immense.
Brilliant stuff....thanks guys👍🥁
roll on 2022 when ronnie hits the 7 7 7 jackpot, and becomes the oldest ever world champion !
7 uk's, 7 master's, 7 worlds .....and the legend is complete !
I really hope your right so much .check out the odds for that and put a bet on it
@@mikeball1397 i dont gamble....at least, not with money!
Dan Jackson, why 2022 are they skipping the WC next year then?
@@SnookerFan-kl1jj because if he wins in 2021 reardon will still be the oldest champion, but if ronnie wins in 2022, he will become the oldest world champion. but i dont mind which as long as he wins one more.
They consider Selby on this list, but not Mark Williams, go figure.
There was a spell just before he became a father for the first time Williams was almost unplayable at times. He started to decline a little bit after but you can't really fault him for that and he still managed to get a world title in after that in his 40s.
Excellent stuff during this lockdown guys.. 🔥🔥👌
You you talk about the greatest comeback of all time.. 🔥
I think you can't define the best as one category - Henry for his consistency and cool head and O'Sullivan for pure talent/speed/potting
How was ronnie any less consistent? Just as many clinchers. 7% higher win rate. Never really bottled anything. Deciders 147s crucial breaks etc
@@Andy-Bodhi Because Stephen Hendry won 5 World championships in row and was ranked world No.1 for 8 consecutive seasons. Ronnie I think is better as an all round player he can do anything.
Ronnie is also staying physically fit, that helps him to stay on top even at his age. Hendry didn't stay fit.
I don't doubt for one second that O'Sullivan is the greatest player of all time.
I dont doubt cheese tastes just like cheese .
Another Ronnie hater👎👎👎
@Bach Wagner nah mate
That's very simple: when Ronnie wanted to be the best during the last 25 years and was fully committed to that, he won and was the best player this world has ever seen
@Storm Woods Are you 7 years old or is your Carer not round today?
Jimmy was the best entertainer. Ronnie the best ever.
It's definitely between Steven Hendry and Ronnie O Sullivan.
Watched the BBC rerun of White and Davis World final, tonight and have to say that Jimmy is possibly the nicest player to watch, when he is in a flow.
What about Ray Reardon? Lol. Why is he never in tbe debate. I have a mate who was around through the Ray Reardon era and he said he was pure class. Very high standard. He may not have got the century records. But he had a lot of one visit winning frames. Seventies eighties and nineties breaks and counterattacks. I watched Ray Reardon vs Eddie Charlton the other day and both players was playing today's standard snooker for sure. Both players playing some amazing shots that would have got everybody out of their seats today. Especially some of the shots Ray played was out of this world. Also I thought it was Ray Reardon who's won the most tournaments. Some of those tournaments don't exist anymore but I don't think you can disqualified them off snooker record especially if you worked hard to get them... Reardon was never expected to miss easy shots and I think that key. It's not so much the hard shots it's the easy shots that usually cost player's. If you don't miss easy shots you always got a chance of winning a tournament. To me four players. Reardon, Davis, Hendry, O'Sullivan.
Measured by professionalism, talent, temperament, resolve, accomplishments and pure class, the greatest current player of the modern era is Ronnie O Sullivan, but the Greatest player of all time bar none is without a doubt Stephen Hendry, if it wasn't for Stephen the bar wouldn't have been raised as high as it has for the last 20 years in professional snooker.
@koen hughes great comment I agree!!!!
@Storm In the 90's no one could beat Hendry, mentally he was too strong, the next decade is a completely different story, he was uninterested from winning everything so many times, new talent coming in, Ronnie getting stronger etc but the ratio of wins between Ronnie and Stephen is 5.5 to 4.5 in Ronnie's favour and those wins mainly took place after 2002 when Stephen was past his prime, but as I say in the 90s you wouldn't of bet against Stephen if you had any sense, plus he drove Ronnie mental from his tanacity.
Osullivan. A magician. Holds the crowd on the palm of His hand. Strongest player through the strongest era. But without doubt, when on His best form no other player can create wins like He has.
Neil Robertson also deserves to be in this conversation. Look at His centuries.
It's a question of what it means to be a great player, really. If it's winning and tenacity, Hendry, and then probably Higgins, not trying to be controversial but it's true. In terms of raw talent, it's Ronnie by head and shoulders, but even then, Hendry's natural talent gets overlooked. Hendry started playing snooker in 1981-2(?) I believe. He was professional in 1986, and then was world champion in 1990. So that rapid growth from picking up the cue to picking up the world snooker championship trophy really can't be ignored once it is noted.
So, being that he has an overlap between both schools of thought, I think it has to be Hendry #1
The talent of O'Sullivan shouldn't be ignored, nor should the colour he has brought to the sport in the last 28 years. He's a close, close #2
Then, for me, John Higgins. He has the tenacity of Hendry, and made a name for himself in the era of O'Sullivan. Even today, Ronnie fears Higgins. #3
Then, for plaudits and sheer knowledge of the sport. Davis. Would be higher, and I'm sure some of you can compose a good argument for why, but for me, he played in a less competitive era than these other men.
So for me?
#1 Hendry
#2 Ronnie
#3 John Higgins
#4 Steve Davis
Beyond that, it gets muddled
1. Ronnie
2. Higgins
3. Hendry
Danny I completely agree with the list you made and you put it with great reasoning, Ronnie has raw talent but in terms of titles it has to be hendry, a lot of Ronnie fanboys don't like it for some reason because it doesn't affect Ronnie if someone says hendry is better
I saw on Hendry's instagram chat with Mark Williams that he first picked up a cue 2 weeks before his 13th birthday and did his first 147 when he was 14. Insane !! I agree, people don't realise Hendry had a natural talent.
The Guvnor did he have one just 2 years after first picking up a cue ? Did he turn professional just 4 years after first picking up a cue or was he world champion just 8 years after first picking up a cue ?
@@diabolodudeireland You should listen to most of Mr O'Sullivan's peers; they all admit that he is the greatest player to ever pick up a snooker cue. Look how many records Mr O'Sullivan owns when compared to Mr Hendry.
Give your head a wobble.
O'Sullivan and Hendry are the best two players ever , but the fact that Ronnie O'Sullivan can make century breaks in competitive matches both right handed and left handed tips the balance in his favour . That makes O'Sullivan extra special in my opinion .
The picture on Neal's left looks like a still from that old Hovis advert with the kid on the bike
Ronnie has now won 7 world titles beating Trump, Robertson, Hendry, Williams, Higgins and Selby. Players who have won 21 World titles between them. His longevity, the way he plays the game make him without any shred of doubt the GOAT.
It's important to mention the fact that the crowd almost always wanted Stephen Hendry to lose. One wonders how would Ronnie O Sullivan play if the crowd was against him.
If this conversation highlights one thing, is that it's such a shame that Hendry retired so early. Would love to see more matches of Hendry and O'Sullivan battling it out
Would have been embarrassing
IMO there was a time when Hendry and ROS we’re competing with each in their prime... even more so with Hendry, when he was winning tournaments for fun. But then the gradual slide was kicking in and his winning powers were waning.
Now going back to my point. I can remember at least one WSC semi-final where Hendry got the better of Ronnie and also went on to reach title No.?.. (not sure)... Bearing in mind Ronnie had his personal issues which i believe affected his chances of gaining more world titles. Those I believe were pivotal moments where ROS could’ve dominated and gone to secure the most world titles. He didn’t and obviously Hendry’s cruicible record still stands.
I believe Hendry is the Greatest player.He had won 7 titles and I think he also had marriage problems after that.He didn't play at his best when Ronnie arrived on the scene. But I believe both in their prime Hendry would have come out Ion top as he could cope better under pressure.7 world titles says it all.
He beat Ronnie in the 2002 semifinal but he didn’t win the final he lost against peter Ebdon. Won all his WSC titles in 90’s. Hendry changed the way snooker was played with an attacking style. Best player is toss of a coin but Ronnie is definitely the most naturally talented. Would’ve loved to see hendry compete without his cue breakage happening that definitely affected his head.
@@allangrant6349 Mr O'Sullivan's peers regard him as the 'greatest to ever pick up a snooker cue'. I will take their word above yours.
@@allangrant6349 Your belief doesn't amount to squat Alan. Hendry's achievements are now consigned to the dustbin, much like your comments.
@@SnookerFan-kl1jj If that was true then you wouldn't have wasted your time messaging me.Ive nothing bad to say about Ronnie as I really like him as a person.Didnt he get beaten recently?😂 Anyway as I've said he will be lucky (which he has been without any decent players to challenge him.) to equal Hendry 7 WORLD life.They are the mark of Greatness and Hendry owns that Crown.
Who was hear after Higgins won the players championship 21 and dominated everyone best snooker seen in 2 decades
Jimmy himself is in the conversation. Ronnie and Jimmy are my two favs
Name a sportsman that can play left or right handed/footed at that level
Its proves that hes incredibly talented!!!!
When Ronnie is on it‘s simply fascinating and entertaining. The rest ultimately, are also rans.
For me, the GOAT is Hendry. There is nobody better to watch in full flow than Ronnie. However he offers up quite a lot of chances to opponents. I feel that Hendry was more of a machine in terms of winning frames in one visit.
Hendry dominated the game for a full decade and has the most world titles whereas Ronnie has never really dominated the game at any point and I really don't see him winning any more world titles.
Agree with the fact that a prime hendry was that savage but why do everyone talk about him in terms of a decade ? Does it really how it works ? Was it really the whole period he competed ? Where is the longevity ?
Excuse me to say with all the pity in the world that even with the respect and love i have to hendry he was remotly past his prime after let's say the what you all call a decade , or more honestly he was playing his B or C game usually from 2002 to 2012
The man was by no call a favourite to win not any single tournament since then not even the second fav and more properly not one of the favs
There's something in every profession whether it is a sport or not called consistency and as the legend he is he lacked it in the second half of his career
Not having talked about the fact that a best hendry got easily beaten by ronnie in the uk final twice 1993 and 1996 when he only was 17 and 20 plus got knocked out in what was the highest shock ever at the crucible back in 2000 losing in the first round to a crucible debutant stuart bignham
Hendry dominated a weaker era.
And Hendry offered far more chances to his opponents, cause his safety and tactical game were a lot weaker than that of Ronnie.
@@michaeltrumph121 I agree apart from giving chances to opponents.Hendry in his prime never missed a shot that mattered and his safety play was impeccable.
Ronnie has dominated the game at several times.
The Ali, Tyson triggered me.
won the most tournaments between them apparently lol
No question the Greatest player of all time is Ronnie , Greatest player to never win the World title is Jimmy , Greatest snooker Analyst is Neil Foulds, Greatest snooker commentator is John Parrot.....
The answer to this depends on what aspect you mean when you say the greatest - most successful, most natural, fan favourite, most prolific break builder, etc. There's a few different things to consider.
All of those aspects require different skills - mental strength, pure God-given talent, flair, technique, cue power, cue action, cue ball control, rest play, bottle, potting ability, long game, safety and tactical game... there's a lot to this question, so much in fact that there's many ways to answer it depending on what you're focusing on.
And because no one in the snooker world sees this question in the same way due to personal biases, different beliefs on how the game should be played, what the most important thing is in snooker, etc... there are no right or wrong answers because everyone will think they're right in their own head. It's quite literally 100% subjective.
Statistics and titles won can't be biased, unless the statistician is manipulating the stats to make them so. Statistically, the most successful player of all time: Hendry. Most prolific break builder: O'Sullivan. These are facts, and quite well-known - no one has won the world title more than Hendry, and no one has made more centuries than Ronnie.
If there are stats on who has won the most safety battles, won the most points from snookers, etc, go for it and we can call them the greatest at that particular aspect - no doubt Higgins, Davis and Selby would be included in a safety battle list. But there's never going to be a stat to measure who has the most bottle, who is the fan's favourite, who has the most cue power, who had the best cue action... they're not quantifiable, and so they can't be anything other than opinion.
So, if you're not answering Hendry or Ronnie to this question, what are you basing your answer on, and why is it not an opinion?
"no one has won the world title more than Hendry" well if you wanna go back in history, none has won more than Joe Davis.
Winning the world title 7 times never made someone the more successful Ronnie has 36 ranking titles on his name and surpassed hendry records when it comes to tc titles . Thus making the most centuries doesn't make you the best break builder as many players lose their focus when the frame is over or try to play exhibition shots more than others only how many times did a player win the frame in one visit allows you to be the best break builder that's why ronnie is the number one in that level
Anyway i do think hendry's second to ronnie but id rather compete over 28 years and still have it at the top than take it all in 13 years and be no more a close call to the favs in any tournament before it starts that's why i see john higgins as the sometimes let's say second greatest
@@hystericalwolf Fair comment. But, snooker was not a widely-known sport back then and it would be like you or I playing against some toddlers - no contest.
@@tahachihab8226 It makes them the better winner, does it not? This is exactly why I wrote my comment, it's all subjective even when there are stats involved, it's a silly question designed to make people debate something that we'll all see differently anyway when there is no right or wrong answer, just generally accepted answers and others that aren't so well-accepted.
Sweet jesus I need some hot water actually I need to give Steve Peters a call with sum of the ridiculous comments on here....... We are listening to Jimmy who lost 4 worlds finals saying he did not prepare correctly take them away and hendrys not even in the argument...... Ronnie's numbers don't lie he's the greatest deal with it people🙏🙏19 majors BOOM and still doing it we're lucky to have him folks😇
Williams has 7 majors, Higgins has 9 and O'Sullivan has 20 despite missing out on at least 10 to 15 majors he didn't play in.In O'Sullivan's time he won 73 tournaments so far.Look at Ronnie O'Sullivans opponents over the years, Hendry, white, Higgins, Williams, Hunter rip, Stevens, Maguire, Murphy,ding, Selby, Trump, Robertson, Allen, Doherty, Ebdon,dott,carter and Wilson. O'Sullivan has won more than the rest and think about Higgins and Williams who turned pro in 92 and since 2011 Higgins and Williams won 1 major each while O'Sullivan has won 3 world's,3 Masters and 3 UK's in the last 9 years and that's despite being quite a bit past his 07/08 unbeatable prime when Hendry said that without a doubt O'Sullivan is the best by a country mile after the world semi final which Ronnie won 17-6 and despite Ronnie O'Sullivan beating Hendry 17-4 in the world semi final in 2004.Hendry just held his hand up and said that the O'Sullivan he played in the 08 worlds was the best he had ever played and he wasn't angry with himself because he said he played a man who played perfect snooker and that he himself didn't do to bad to win 6 frames and now today Hendry says O'Sullivan is the best ever and even his best snooker friend Mark Williams says O'Sullivan is the best ever by a very long way so that's why Ronnie is still competing with the best in the world and he's world champion despite being closer to 50 than 40.When you ask all the best players in the world who have faced Ronnie at his best said after that they didn't have a chance.
Well said Jane from Jane Gavin 😂😂🤣🤣😃😄😅😂
73 titles? As a professional snooker player? 🤯
As for best? Must plump for Hendry (only just) because of the slight generation difference. Davis grew up playing on tougher cloths, pockets and tables as did Alex Higgins so hard shout between those two.
Most entertaining always 'The Rocket' or Alex Higgins.
In all seriousness so many great players in the modern era, John Higgins, Mark Williams, Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, even Shaun Murphy, Stuart Bingham, Stephen Maguire, Barry Hawkins. The last 15 years has been the most competitive I think, i wasn't really old enough to watch the sport in the 90s tho. Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Ken Doherty, Jimmy White, Paul Hunter all greats of the game.
But without doubt Ronnie O'sullivan the greatest, his ability as Jimmy says to play so many shots ahead and how he sees the game. Genius
Judd Trump is unplayable at the current time though, his exhibition shots are out of this world, if he plays like he has this season consistently for the rest of his career then this debate is open again
@@jordankent4133 If he is unplayable then how do you explain his 11 losses in 17 tournaments this season.
@Bach Wagner Hendry indeed holds the record for most centuries from the 2002 WC, but can you tell us the result against Ebdon in the final.
Always will be hendry for me, he changed the game and todays game has evolved from hendrys style
Jimmy white still bitter he couldn't beat hendry 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Not half as bitter as being beaten by baldness. Look at that ridiculous wig.😂
He beat Hendry all the time, just always lost in the finals of the worlds to him.
@Philip Normington Nah he got an absolute clobbering by Hendo losing something like 15 matches in a row against him. Also lost 19 frames in a row. Half a dozen masters matches in a row. 5 World Finals in a row (95 World SF effectively a final) etc. Not exactly all the time.
@@PNorm In other words when it mattered White was slapped into submission.😂😂😂
You have to win 53 frames at the Crucible to reach the final, Jimmy did it 6 times. Yeah he may have lost but he played Hendry 4 times and Davis once, 2 of the best 3 players of all time. He also had the wrihht of the world on his shoulders, he was the people's favourite and 95% of the crucible would be expecting him to win. I'd love to see anyone lose 3 finals and still have the hunger to get to another never mind 5, Jimmy was a class act and definitely doesn't get the respect he deserves.
I don't even consider titles, matches can be blagged, fortune can favour, for me it's who looks the best in full flight, who can thrill you most, Hendry was consistent but he was tentative, considered, O'Sullivan seems to bypass both and lock in like it's one working organism, I wish he would equal the WCs to put it 'officially' beyond doubt
Even Hendry has conceded that Ronnie is the GOAT, all Ronnie has to do now is to get 1 more World title and it will shut everyone up.
Clearly Ronnie is the best of all time,
Second must be Hendry, I'd give, thirth place to Higgins, N4 would be Davis, I'd have to give N5 to Selby who is clearly the best player the younger generation and he can potentially become the second greatest but regardless of what anyone achieves Ronnie will always be the greatest simply because without him the game wouldn't have been have as popular..
@Wayne Holmesthis is what I have said ya idiot ..
@Wayne Holmes how is he the best mate ?
Has he won more than ?
Nonsense, ronnie did not make the game popular. Higgins took the game from a folk sport with no professional following to a nationwide phenomenon watched by millions. Ask anyone, davis, ronnie, jimmy, reardon, hendry, selby, etc and they will tell you this.
@@stanleyharrison7031 are you crazy mate there was a period where the game depended on Ronnie to survive..
@Wayne Holmes your a nutter Wayne.
2:48 Looks at Jimmy White lol
Abso fantastic videos watching all these vodcasts in March 2021 after Ronnie won 6th lol fair play to Jimmy for mentioning Higgins aswell him Davis Reardon and hendry are exceptional but Ronnie take the biscuit
1- Ronnie
2- Hendry
3- Steve Davis
4- John Higgins
5-Jimmy white
6- Alex Higgins
7- Ray Readon
8- Mark Selby
9- Mark Williams
10- Judd Trump
Should also mention Joe Davis... Also - temperament-wise and attitude-wise, although Ronnie has improved a lot over the years, Hendry was definitely stronger in this area. Who can forget when Hendry made Ronnie literally quit on his seat. (Lovely shout-out to Paul Hunter)
Joe was a professional player playing in an amateur era.
These debates must really hurt Jimmy. When Foulds said "but often those very talented players don't stack up the numbers in such a big way" and then it cut to Jimmy looking really depressed because he never won the world title lol.
Very embarrassing.
Forget about titles,have you ever seen anyone play snooker like Ronnie he is so good it borders on ridiculous.
thats Right You know thegame'
@@TheMimetolithman Yes I've seen him play majestically, I've also seem him with no concentration, poor attitude, not get going, beaten by lesser opposition etc like all players
snooker vid...cue the Ronnie arselickers....
Alan Shirt, yes I have seen someone, he's the best ever and his name was Alex Higgins...the guy Ronnie is inspired by
@Cliff Hanley Trump's outrageous potting hasn't stopped him from being beaten 11 times in 17 tournaments this year though has it. Hardly the stuff of legend.
They seem to forget that you have to compare the years they were a professional from in that respect Davis or Hendry may have one more than O 'Sullivan.
Hendry by a Mile You knew he.d give 110% and not let u down..A True Professional..LEGEND
Everything I've been saying during the coronavirus put to bed Ronnie's the greatest job done👌well said real experts 👍
Jimmy white a real expert?Lol Don't be so silly.The only reason Jimmy won't say Hendry is the best is simply because Jimmy can't get over not winning a world title because of Hendry.I just can't take anything Jimmy says as serious.Also wasn't it known that Jimmy was on drugs during his matches to control his nerves?
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 that is all
The fact Hendrys on the Thumbnail says it all.
Ronnie is the goat....tbe....
O'Sullivan's greatest achievement is clear at 2:23 in the video. Adorable.
The GOAT debate like Golf & Tennis should be defined in Majors- World, UK & Masters titles:
#1 Ronnie O'Sullivan- 21.
#2 Stephen Hendry- 18.
#3 Steve Davis/Joe Davis- 15.
#4 Mark Selby/John Higgins- 9.
#5 John Pulman/Fred Davis- 8.
#6 Mark Williams/Ray Reardon- 7.
#7 Neil Robertson- 6.
#8 Alex Higgins- 5.
#9 Judd Trump/Ding Junhui/Cliff Thorburn/John Spencer- 4.
Why has Neil Fouls got a picture of Gold Hill on his wall ?
He's a big fan of Hovis bread.
There is no debate really. It's O'Sullivan. Hendry's not far behind but it has to be O'Sullivan
Ton break plus with either hand confirms it !!
Wayne Holmes Ronnie has a better head to head confirms it. Didn’t Fred Davis win a lot more world titles than hendry. Going by your logic he is the greatest. Ronnie is the best scorer on paper. Scoring is a huge part of someone’s ability. Ronnie beat hendry a lot more than he beat him too. Winning one comp in a lesser era doesn’t prove your the best.
Mathew Stevens can make tons with his wrong left hand.
@@vmax4steve524 but sadly cant use the rest. Nuff said !!
For me Hendry still the greatest player of all time.
Achieved his titles in much more condensed time period than O'Sullivan and was just so much more switched on and focused for a solid 10/12 year period!
Ronnie had to compete with Hendry, peak J Higgins, Williams, Hunter, Stevens, Ebdon, even Davis and Jimmy etc were still playing decent around the early 00s. Plus Robbo, Trump, Murphy, Ding and Selby etc came after.
@@alanchamberlain9902 Hendry had to compete with a majority of those guys too as well as players such as Alan McManus and Ken Doherty who were dangerous in the 1990’s
@@PlayMoreGolf-RipOff
Hendry faced weak opposition in the early 90s.
It's not even close.
I rate Ronnie as No1 due to the longevity of his career and being able to play near the top of his game for much longer than Stephen. However at his peak i think Stephen was the most ruthless winning machine snooker has ever produced and he was much more consistent than Ronnie.
More consistent but has nearly 300 less century breaks, less maximums, less ranking titles. Only thing Hendry has over O'Sullivan is more world titles but I think O'Sullivan had better competition.
O Sullivan does have an argument as the greatest, he’s top of a few lists now, mainly the triple crowns, the most centuries and 147s but I think there’s a difference between best and greatest, O’Sullivan is the best there’s been standard wise, he’s reached the highest level of play due to his natural ability but Hendry completely dominated Snooker like no ever has, 5 consecutive Masters titles and 5 consecutive World titles, Davis to an extent did but he didn’t completely dominate everything and Hendry at one stage in the 90s went 36 consecutive matches unbeaten in ranking events over the space of nearly a calendar year, no one else gets remotely close to that and he still has two more world titles than O Sullivan, it’s only one tournament but it’s by far the hardest to win its 5 long matches over 17 days and that’s the one to judge on, O’Sullivan has equalled Hendry s ranking titles of 36 and he ill pass that but there’s a lot more ranking titles now than there was in Hendry s time, which if anything makes Hendry s 36 look better and Hendry was hampered by developing yips in the early 2000 s and he was still winning tournaments with this problem.
Your post is based on idle speculation and poor research. Simply spouting a few stats does not in any way support your POV about Hendry being the greatest. Also saying that Steve Davis did not dominate his era is quite frankly a ludicrous statement. The nugget comprehensively dominated the 80s and ruled with an iron fist. Hendry likewise the 90s but let's be honest here he was gifted two world titles by White, a serial bottler by trade and was not tested until the class of 92 matured into the titans they are today. Had Hendry also graduated from that year we both know he would not have posted the number of titles he did or enjoyed the same level of dominance. Greatness is not just measured in terms of what you won but who you beat.
Ronnie has been a part of the golden era of snooker when the level of play has never been bettered. The same cannot he said for Hendry, therefore can safely conclude that he was very lucky to preside over a weak era.
@@SnookerFan-kl1jj Ronnie didn't win very much in that "weak era". Took him 9 years to win the worlds and 10 years to get to world number 1.
@@dafergy Totally irrelevant comment. A win is a win, there is no asterisk next to Ronnie's or Trump's first WC that states they took too long to get there. All players mature at different points in their career or did you expect Ronnie to be top dog in his first season. After all Hendry served a 5 yr apprenticeship before he struck gold. The only thing that matters is their trophy haul when they are done, it's the only real currency.
As for him not winning much in the 90s has less to do with the opposition and more with his lax attitude for which he only has himself to blame. Despite that he finished with the most titles out of the class of 92 and the best H2H record against Hendry, including two wins in UK finals. Not bad for someone who did not win much, eh.
Didn't take long 🙈🙈🙈🙈 well done pundits Ronnie O'sullivan the greatest not even open to discussion for simple reasons standards levels and era's his longevity his legendary....... Any1 who disagrees with this give Steve Peters a ring and maybe have a cup of hot water🙏🙏🙏🙏
Ronnie will be undisputed after tonight :)
Ronnie.
White - If u ask Hendry he will tell u its O'Sullivan. Slightly biased there Jim because I've heard Ronnie state that in his opinion Stephen was on another planet to everyone else.
I think both are by far the greatest but to win snooker matches at the highest level when the pressure is on, u need focus, concentration and balls. Ronnie has one of these attributes and Stephen had all 3. If both were playing at the top of their game and it was 17-17 each in the World Final my money would be on Hendry.
John Higgins has beaten O'Sullivan when he's been playing at his very best. The victory against him in the 06 Masters is a prominent example.
Stephen says Ronnie is the best but Ronnie also says Stephen is the best, John Higgins needs more respect in that conversation, absolute granite and his all round game is sensational
@@Mitjitsu Mr O'Sullivan was not at his 'very best', his form was in and out for the most part of the match.
I have to disagree. Did you not watch the Semi Final between Mr Selby and Mr O'Sullivan, Mr O'Sullivan was lethal in the last 3 frames. Mr Selby is better at playing under pressure than Mr Hendry was. The 90s was a weak era.
Your all wrong Jimmy white is the best and most inspiring player of all time as he is relatable to a lot of people as he tried so hard to win the world champion and he was so talented but never got it but he hasn’t given up yet and still played so maybe one day he will get it. Jimmy your the best👌
Pity he had no bottle.
what about steve ray and alex ?????
An article just came out quoting Ronnie that in his 28 year career, maybe 9 of those he was off the rails and not focusing on snooker. One things for sure Ronnie is the best player who has ever picked up a cue, if Ronnie O'Sullivan had Steven Hendry's dedication, nobody would have won a snooker title in 28 years. Ronnie is the best player, Hendry is the greatest...for now!
1) Ronnie
2) Hendry
3) Higgins
4) Selby
5) Steve Davis
6) Williams
I'd put Higgins ahead of hendry happy with that top 3 ever🤔
@Wayne Holmes Hendry had won two world championships before Ronnie had even become a professional. They are about 7-8 years I think in age difference. While I think Hendry is a great player, I think it's unfair to compare their time playing together when Ronnie was new on the scene. Hendry had turned professional nearly about 7/8 years before Ronnie had... in the 90s Ronnie was a 1-7 year old pro against a 7-14 year pro in Hendry . Hendry is a great player. Ronnie is a great player. I don't think H2Hs tell the full story but Ronnie has won 54% drawn 9% and lost 37% to Hendry.
@Wayne Holmes I will say this for Hendry though... he won all three triple crown events in a snooker calendar year... TWICE. That's pretty impressive.
1 Ronnie
2 Hendry
3 Davis
4 Selby
5 Higgins
6 Williams
Higgins will always have a question mark against him
Ronnie has been more consistent for longer but the other 2 won a lot more than him in a shorter time it’s hard to argue with the reasoning behind saying Ronnie is the best but I still think the other 2 at there absolute peak would win Ronnie I think he would melt under the pressure but as longevity goes it has to be ronnie
Joe Davis was unbeaten for twenty years and retired undefeated in an era when snooker was played on tables with billiard cut pockets, tighter than now, heavy cloths, heavier balls, poor lighting and conditions. Joe was also a multiple world billiards champion, he also played left handed shots, was very fast and basically set the template for the modern game.
Conditions set the standard that players can reach, conditions today are easier than they've ever been in every sport and that's why modern sportsmen seem to be better.
Get Ronnie on an old 1930's table with billiard cut pockets, cloth and heavier crystalate balls with an old billiard cue, tip and chalk, poor lighting and see if he can play like he does on a modern table, don't think so.
Maybe Alex Higgins is the greatest...if it weren't for the drink and drug problems then he may have become World Champion for a record number of times
Henry then higgins then o sullivan . henry was best ever at his best.
Stephen Hendry the king of the crucible
Hendry and O'Sullivan are equal in terms of their ability to knock a long ball in and clear up. The difference is that Hendry had a lot more bottle than O'Sullivan. That's why no one has ever matched Hendry's consistent dominance, and why Ronnie lost two best of 33 World Championship Semi-Finals when he was at his peak and Hendry was already past his. The only reason Hendry didn't go on to win 8, 9 or 10 World Titles was because he stopped practicing as hard and lost motivation after his 7th world title, then his cue broke and he got the yips.
Ronnie the most talented, Hendry the best overall. Got to bear in mind that Hendry won nearly all his tournaments before 35 and in an era when there wasn’t 15 or more tournaments a year like nowadays. When he was in his prime there were literally a handful. If he or Ronnie were young now and keen they would have won way way more events than they have.
If hendry was young now with amount of tournaments about... he'd love the challenge of winning and dominating the game...
@@leeredford1028What makes you think he would dominate.
My top snooker players of all time would be.1.Stephen Hendry.2.Ronnie O'Sullivan. 3.John Higgins. If I was to pick someone to play for me if my life depended on it,Then it has to be the Greatest player of all time under pressure..Stephen Hendry!!
@The Guvnor I know your truly believe that Ronnie it the best ever and lots will agree with you on that.Lets take the final where Ronnie beat Selby,Do you honestly believe if that was Stephan playing at his peak that Ronnie would have came back and win that last frame?No chance! Selby bottled it and should have won.Stephen would at his best destroyed Ronnie as he did Davis an white and the rest of them.Sorry but Ronnie will come 2nd and many now feel that him done his lot with 6 world titles.
@The Guvnor First of your totally talking nonsense. Hendry as won it 7 times.Ronnie can have all the stats he wants as Hendry has retired but this is Ronnies end game.He will never match Hendry 7 tiles over long drawn out matches.Hendry is just pure sheer brilliance.Dont get me wrong I like Ronnie alot,But even during the final with Selby,Even Selby said himself that Ronnie was standing up in his eye line as he was about to take a crucial shot!!Now you would never see Stephen Hendry do that to an opponent. In fact often played on t.v. is the best sportmans highlights and always shows Hendry not taking a foul shot.Ronnie has no honour.He is not respected for his gamesmanship, his arrogance. The biggest game they ever played is when Ronnie the loud mouth said he would sent Hendry back to Scotland That was the biggest grudge match ever.Thats when Hendry did get fired up and Ronnie was humiliated in from of his own nation.So stop talking rubbish.Well done Ronnie even although he tried to put Selby off his shot.But the fact is Hendry record will last forever.
jimmy and alex were for me the best players
For sheer entertainment but few prizes, i agree !!
Jimmy can do things with the cueball that hendry and o'Sullivan could never dream of ! It was jimmy that got me interested in the game in the first place as I couldn't understand how he was moving the ball around!
@@waynetalley5080 Who cares look at the trophy cabinet. Hendry and Ronnie won tons more than Jimmy.
Ronnies Achilles heel is he loses bottle when he’s put under pressure.
2020 World Semi Final 17-16 would disagree with you there.
1) Ronnie
2) Hendry/Higgins
3) Davis
No debate for me its Ronnie.
jimmy white was great player but in difficult time he missed chances to win over hendry many times. hendry was in peak of his plays.no one could win over him..bad luck.
None of these players have ever beat me in a match.
Ronnie beat me twice when he was 13. He was amazing at that age
@@fuzzy1237 if you were also 13 then so what?
Oliver Miller I was 20. Calm down dear
@@fuzzy1237 I'm f**king calm, okay!? Good story though, must have been a great experience, retrospectively...
Oliver Miller ha ha, good man! U mad me chuckle.
Who have the most ranking titles? In this order: Ronnie, Stephen, John, Steve, Mark Williams, Judd, Neil, Mark Selby, Ding Junhui and Jimmy White. So those are my top 10. Easy.
1. Stephen Hendry
2. Steve Davis
3. Ronnie O'Sullivan
Why in that order? Back in Davis's day, the official ranking tournaments weren't that many. Also, you need to understand the snooker cloths were much thicker. The balls would not split so well. This was changed in the early 90s and you'd see the balls splitting more and more higher breaks. Why was it done? To make the sport more exciting again and for frames to finish quicker.
Also remember Ronnie O'Sullivan was playing whilst Hendry was still dominating and made to look ordinary. Granted that O'Sullivan's career was probably affected by both his parents being jailed for different reasons and could have won more titles as a result. However, he hasn't and we will never know. And what's the reason for his overtaking of Hendry's number of maximum and century breaks? Simple, there have been a great number of more official tournaments than say, compared to the 80s.
Hendry had balls of steel like no other as Neal Foulds alluded to. He would finish matches at a point and in a big and bold way like no other player I've ever seen. The only thing going for O'Sullivan is longevity.
Good reasoning...
Lol no Ronnie is the best. No debate. No contest. 20 triple crowns, most ranking titles, most centuries, most 147s, fastest 147s...
Ronnie is the best now. You're just deluded.
Completely agree with your top 3! Hendry and Davis were animals.
Of course O'Sullivan is by far the most talented and pleasant to watch but that's the not the same thing at all.
@@666JEDIMINDTRICKS666 No it's not the same thing. It's better!
21:25 Niel says that its not about winning, its about winning in style. I completely disagree with that. Sport is not about entertaining
The olympics are not about entertaining, pro sports on the other hand are absolutely about entertaining. If you don't entertain, you lose fans. When you lose fans you lose sponsors and money for the players.
*Neil.
@@davidcopson5800 lol get a life
At their best henry is the greatest player .if I had to put my life on one to play to win I would go for henry every time at his best.then higgins then o sullivan.
Ronnie 👌
if the world champion snooker goes ahead I think Ronnie o Sullivan with the break and batery charged playing fresh will win the
World snooker champion he won it before with a year off a true Genius and the best sports star in the world
This comment aged very well.
Hendry harley missed a ball when he was at his best.
This podcast was done before Ronnie won his 6th World title....I wonder what Jimmy & Neil would've Said now.
Wow..not even a mention of Mark Williams.
Commentary on eurosport tonight was embarrassing from Andy talking to mark allen
"table looked great mark?"
"No it was dreadful"
"You seemed fast tonight mark at 20 seconds a shot"
"Thats my average normally"
Needs sacking so cringey
You can't compare Ali with Tyson, Jimmy, Tyson wasn't fit to wipe/bite his boots!
Hendry 7 centuries in 10 frames. That'll likely never be beat. And they never spoke of Davis's superior safety game. People forget how good those two were.
7 century breaks is only 7 frames and not a barometer of the greatest player of all time.
@@SnookerFan-kl1jj Well, obviously you're a casual and don't realise that no one apart from Hendry has made 7 centuries in 10 frames. But what is a barometer of greatest player of all times is the number of world championships he's won. It has not been equalled and if we will simply go by that then Hendry is indeed the greatest player of all time. And Davis second.
@@johnhiggins1600 Casual LOL I will wipe the floor with you in any debate, especially this one. The 7 centuries in one match is like saying you won Wimbledon with the most aces, a totally useless statistic. He could just as easily have secured the title with 70s and 80s. There seems to be an unhealthy obsession with hundred breaks. As for Hendry's 7 World titles, as impressive as that is, it is confined to one event and is not even the record with Joe Davis posting 15 titles. The true metric to greatness is what a player achieves across all events throughout his career and in particular the Triple Crowns, which are snooker's Majors or Grand Slams. Hendry held the record and now Ronnie has taken it. Perhaps you should leave the debating to grown ups as you are clearly out of your depth.
@@johnhiggins1600 not now boi. Ronnie is on 6 and will get 7 and 8
@@SnookerFan-kl1jj You're not even qualified to wipe the floor with a mop nevermind win any debate. You are indeed a casual and indeed a master of "couch snooker." Seven centuries in one match is nothing like saying you won Wimbledon with the most aces. That's just complete rubbish and only an idiot would say that. That alone tells me you're completely out of your depth. No doubt as a couch snooker specialist you have never actually seen a snooker table in reality, never mind scoring a single point on one. Now little boy, go back to day dreaming about how great you are - a feat that you will never achieve.
Btw, Wayne Holmes; get your facts right about the game before you go mouthing off.
English bias, Hendry was the terminator of snooker, in his prime he would break Ronnie's temperament most of the time. Hendry was so good i hated him cos he only needs one chance and he wins the frame. . Thats how good he was.
Your obviously scottish biased then if you think hendry is better lmao
1993 Hendry vs 2008 O'Sullivan first to 17 frames. I would bet Hendry all day long O'Sullivan to inconsistent.
1993 Hendry played O'Sullivan in the UK final that year and Ronnie won 10-6 and Hendry won the next 3 UK's in a row and then lost 10-6 again to guess who yes Ronnie.And let's be honest 07/08 O'Sullivan was a far better all around player.Goat by a distance and now at 45 world champion again.
1) Ronnie
2) Ronnie
3) Ronnie
4) hendry
Karl Moore there's only one ronnie😍😍😍
Karl Moore 1) Ronnie with left and right hand
2) Ronnie only with right hand
3) Hendry
The only reason this debate exists is because Ronnie only has 5 world titles, Stephen has 7. But Ronnie beats basically every other record. If Ronnie had 8 world titles, there would be no debate that Ronnie is the greatest. But because he only has 5, this debate exists.