Snooker chief talks up next generation as Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins eye retirement

As Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins eye up retirement in the next two years, WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson has ‘no doubt whatsoever’ that new talent is coming through to fill the void left by the snooker legends.

The Rocket says he has two more good chances to win a record eighth World Championship title and if he doesn’t take either, then he could sail off into the sunset in 2028.

The Wizard of Wishaw is also eyeing up a ’28 retirement date, as he struggles to put in the hours on the practice table and feels his performance is declining more than he can live with.

Much could change before 2028 and both O’Sullivan, 50, and Higgins, 51, are still capable of winning big titles, which could see them extend their playing days.

But whenever they do retire, Ferguson says it will be a significant moment for the sport as their ‘staggering’ careers come to an end.

‘They’ve both been amazing competitors from that era where many great players came into the sport,’ Ferguson told Metro. ‘They stood the test of time, but they can’t go on forever. Nobody can go on forever.

Are you snooker loopy?

You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro.

In my newsletter, The Table, I analyse the biggest talking points, pull back the curtain on the sport and crown the biggest winners and losers every week.

Sign up here.

‘Nobody wants them to retire because we love watching them play, of course, and they’ve given their lives to competing and entertaining millions of fans around the world.

‘So it would be a significant moment when players of that stature retire. It’s amazing what they’ve done in the sport. It’s absolutely staggering to think that they’re still there today after all these years competing at this high level, still competing for titles, it’s unbelievable.’

O’Sullivan and Higgins famously turned professional in 1992 and have been big stars of the sport for the vast majority of the time since then.

Both are still in the top 16 in their fifties, as is Mark Williams, while the likes of Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Barry Hawkins, Mark Allen and Ali Carter are all in the elite group in their forties.

Ferguson says he is extremely confident that there are young players coming through to knock the old boys off their perch, though, and they are coming from a range of countries.

‘I have no doubt whatsoever, I’m highly confident,’ the WPBSA chairman said of a next generation of talent emerging.

‘Everybody’s talking about the young talent in China. But look at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds this month [EPSB English Junior Amateur Tour], the scale of the juniors that are actually competing at a high level in this country is at a new high. There is talent coming through here.

‘There’s amazing talent coming through around Europe as well, particularly Eastern Europe. We’ve seen talents like [Latvia’s] Artemijs Zizins appear.

‘[Ukraine’s] Iulian Boiko, what a player he is and what a fine young man as well. He’s exactly what you want on the poster and at the front of your sport. He’s well spoken, very presentable, lovely family and I’m really happy to see players like that progress.

‘There’s more in Germany, new academies opening in Germany. We’re seeing talent around Poland. I see amazing things being done with junior snooker in Poland. Having somebody like Antoni Kowalski flying that flag, it makes a big difference. We’re seeing these markets grow now from investment that’s been made in the sport 10 years ago.

‘So I think the sport is extremely sustainable in my view. What we’ve done over the years by investing in amateur structures creates a flurry of talent and I think the future’s really bright.’

Young talent has been streaming onto the professional tour from China over the last 20 years and finally led to Zhao Xintong becoming the country’s first world champion last year.

Wu Yize then followed him in lifting the trophy at the Crucible and it looks like Chang Bingyu will be a contender for the sport’s biggest prizes for years to come.

Ferguson is delighted with the monumental progress made in China, but still feels the rest of the world will go on competing at the top of the game.

‘You never know where the next big talented player will come from,’ he said. ‘Everybody will expect it to come from China and China’s doing amazing things.

‘I’m very proud of what’s happening in China. I started working there many, many years ago and you would struggle to find a snooker table. Now there are 300,000 clubs. I step back and look at that and think, wow.

‘The difference between China and the UK, for example, is just size and scale, we’re dealing with cities that have 28 million people in them.

‘What that means is there are a lot more people playing. But I think the sport’s in good shape elsewhere too. I really do think it’s in good shape from a grassroots and pathway and talent perspective.’

The WPBSA chairman, and former pro who played at the Crucible three times, says it is not just playing talent that is in good shape, but the wider structure as well.

‘Coaching schemes are bursting at the seams,’ he said. ‘Our referee schemes are growing as well. What that does is create many volunteers to support us. When we go to referee schemes, they’re the people that go out and work in the national federations and help them grow local events.

‘It’s really growing and there’s some real momentum in snooker. I think the next 10 years is going to be really exciting for us.’

MORE: Ali Carter reflects on ‘Marmite’ image in snooker: ‘People don’t understand’

MORE: Top snooker stars have ‘massively unfair advantage,’ says Chris Wakelin

MORE: Ronnie O’Sullivan handed Champion of Champions chance as qualifying routes added