Tame Wildcards Announced
The term ‘wildcard’ is becoming more commonly used in the world of professional sport.
Surely there is more than a hint of irony in it, as there is rarely anything ‘wild’ about the chosen few. Bring back two-times world champion and all-round hell-raiser, Alex ‘The Hurricane’ Higgins and the term might be more appropriate!
“Sponsors invite”, “guest entry” call it what you want, but there is often question marks over the subjective selection of individuals.
Goran Ivanisevic is probably the most famous wildcard in sporting history after wining the men’s singles title at Wimbledon in 2001 having been invited to play by the All-England Club when he failed to qualify automatically.
Global-Snooker.com doesn’t see the four players invited by World Snooker to compete on the Main Tour 2009/10 having quite the same impact.
David Gray is the only one with a proven track-record, but it is six years his only ranking event win at the Scottish Masters. Considered by many to have the ability to compete with the best, Gray might also be accused of wasting his talent over recent years.
Ian Preece had the credentials of joining the games elite. He took Jimmy White’s record of being the youngest world amateur champion, when he lifted the title in 1999.
Since then, he has failed to deliver and became one of snooker’s journeymen professionals, eventually falling off the tour last season after finishing outside the top 64.
Andrew Norman was one of World Snooker’s Young Players of Distinction in 2001. The programme only ran for two years developing the talents of 16-21 year-olds. So far he has failed to emulate the achievements of fellow YPDs, Shaun Murphy, Stephen Maguire, Ryan Day, Allister Carter and Ricky Walden.
Bristol’s Norman is steady, but we don’t think he can produce the attacking style of play that is arguably needed to consistently beat the best in today’s game.
The fourth ‘wild-card’ seems hard to overlook. Joe Jogia finished number one on the PIOS rankings, which automatically promotes the top eight to Main Tour status. Jogia was not however, a member of his national association, which ruled him out.
Jogia has been around for years. In and out of the Main Tour without really threatening to set the world alight. Perhaps the success of fellow-Leicester man, Mark Selby might have inspired a marked improvement and stronger determination. If not, you might not see much of him on your television screens.
Gray, Preece, Norman and Jogia complete the 96 players that will compete in 2009/10 – see the full list here…
