Wild backing for Hearn in UK bust-up

SNOOKER:

LOCAL snooker star Michael Wild has defended Barry Hearn in his spat with UK Championship runner-up Mark Allen.

Allen, beaten 10-8 by Judd Trump in Sunday's final at York, attacked World Snooker chairman Hearn for his handling of the professional tour.

He claimed the schedule was too hectic and that the traditions of the game were being compromised by shortening matches in the UK Championship.

Hearn hit back by branding Northern Ireland's Allen "a silly boy".

Wild, who is trying to obtain his ticket for next season's professional tour, can see both sides of the argument. The Moorside ace said: "Mark Allen was right in a lot of what he said, but I think Barry Hearn is doing a good job.

"If you're watching, for example, Ronnie O'Sullivan against Mark Selby, you want to see it to a finish, not have to come back the next day. The younger generation wants it that way."

But Wild sympathises with Allen's viewpoint over the increased number of tournaments on the professional tour: "There were about five or six and now there are 20 or 25 which carry ranking points.

“Some players, like Ronnie and Stephen Maguire, don't enter them all, while others do. That means they miss out on ranking points and drop down the list.

"Others do go in them all, but to do so costs around £10,000 when you take into account entry fees, flights and accommodation. If Mark Allen is struggling, then there must be a problem. The top players will have to win one of these events just to break even.

"For my part, I can go in some of the Players Tour Championship events organised by World Snooker, but if a tournament starts on a Friday, I have to be there on a Tuesday to play prelims on Wednesday and Thursday. Even if I win those, I may have to play a top professional like Ronnie in the first round, go out and not receive any prize money. With flights and accommodation it is very expensive."

Wild (30) has just returned from Bangalore, where he represented England in the World Amateur Championship.

He went out in the round-robin stages, but not before narrowly missing out on a brand new £5,000 snooker table and £500 cash prize for a maximum 147. Wild potted 15 reds and blacks, and green, yellow and brown, but missed a tricky blue with the maximum in sight and had to settle for a magnificent break of 129.