I’ve been watching snooker for 40 years and I’ve watched Higgins play over and over again, here’s my opinion. There’s no doubt that he was an entertainer and a showman and getting the crowd on their feet was his motivating factor. Higgins was possibly the best single ball potter there’s ever been ( along with Jimmy and Ronnie) but he relied a lot on this ability to compensate for his lack of positional play. He never had the cue ball on a piece of string but then again he didn’t need to when he could pot balls off the lampshades. He inspired generations with his style of play and will continue to do so for generations to come. He was about as far from ‘text book’ as he could be but his natural ability was clear to see. RIP Alex and btw, that blue to the green pocket with reverse side off both cushions whilst stretching over the pack is still the best single shot I’ve ever seen 👌
Excellent summary of higgins play. His head moved on shots. His body twitched that's why he was always running out of position but he could pot like nobody. Made snooker popular
@@hughmungus1235 I'll tell you what's not a class act, any moron who ends a sentence with 'lol' you twat. You say he's no class act but offer literally nothing to back up such bollocks. The guy has single-handedly rewritten snooker. He just won a world tournament whilst treating the game like a hobby! His play is definitely a class act, whatever a nobhead like you spurts down his bib.
Unbelievable watching this now - the way he played was nothing short of insane by today's standards. Tremendously entertaining though, and thanks to him, snooker was the number 1 TV sport in the mid-1980s. I feel lucky to have grown up watching these guys, as opposed the robots we have today. RIP Alex. "Madman, but genius... with a cue."
The greatest entertainer snooker ever had a flawed genius it couldnt have been any other way with this great player,we wont see his likes ever again,a treasure, rip alex,
Alex, he wasn't consistent but if your life depended on one ball or one break there was only really one man for the job, he didn't pull rabbits out of hats he pulled blue whales out. He often took the wrong shot but in doing so produced that whale and you never knew when it was going to appear. Sure he was far from perfect but what was good about him was pure magic. It was really nice to see Hendry at his funeral, he knew what Alex had given snooker. Snooker is what it is today and most the players we have are due to Alex's influence his stuff the odds this goes style of play, he played like he lived, there is no tomorrow just the moment.,and we were so lucky to share some of them.
He was seriously contemplating the back double on the 14th red and sending the white around the angles to get on black. I can see he was itching to do it :D Ty for entertaining us Alex. RIP Hurricane
I loved Alex i use to hate snooker intel one day late 70s I had no choice but to watch snooker n sew this young lad I couldn’t believe it can u really play snooker like this wow I was glued to tv I couldn’t wait for his next match n yes because of Alex I fell in love with snooker n I played that games for years just because of one men Alex n what he did for snooker n bought snooker to life n millions played it. But sadly snooker didn’t anything for him in return.Alex was a legand n god of snooker.no one should forget. I was rich I would make memories of Alex in dublin. Alex will live as long as snooker is life.thanks for giving ur joy n play Alex. Love u. Am khan.
Man had all the talent in the world. Jimmy White said when we was on top of his game his cueball control was so good. His most iconic break obviously was the 69 vs Jimmy because his cueball control wasn't very good in that match but pulled out insane shots to win the frame. But man, when he was on top form he was something very special. Even drunk he could win frames easily. A brave player as well and sometimes his bravery didn't pay off if he tried breaking the pack open, or taking on a ridiculous long pot and screwing back to balk, but that fearless play was what made him so entertaining to watch, and the speed!
Amazing what emotion alcohol brought out in him. Just no fear! Absolute one in a million player. Unfortunately we will never see this again in snooker 😥
All these years ( indeed decades ) later and watching on grainy old footage you can still almost feel the electric tension and nervous energy Higgins brought to the table.
He was nerve racking to watch because although he could pot anything he could also miss anything, as a kid I found it almost painful to watch him as I wanted him to win so badly
Perfectly summed up ! But that was Higgins ! If he was , say , a more stable individual , and not a Hellraiser , he probably wouldn't have been as good !
Watching this the memories come flooding back ! My late grandma ! God rest her sole !she northern Irish ! She absolutely loved Alex ! The peoples champion! Rip my grandma from Ulster & Alex !
I remember Hendry saying when he played Alex in the final of the Irish Masters, Alex’s last tournament victory, that Higgins came over to him in the deciding frame and whispered “I’m the devil!” Alex won without having to play a shot.
@@londonlady1966 that was very poetic. I would have saved that for my novel. But you are quite correct. We all have a tendency to dwell in the past for a little too long. In todays world, if Alex had been just starting, he would have received a life ban within the first year of his career. Many people have a self destruct button but Alex seemed to be pressing his on a weekly basis.
@@davidrobinson2776 actually that was when he was shaking hands at the beginning of another match, he said "Hello, I'm the Devil" but that was Alex. He was extremely complimentary towards Hendry at the Irish Masters in his after match speech. Then Hendry probably under orders from his manager Ian Doyle said he wouldn't play in the Sky Mitra Masters £1m tournament if Alex did. Jimmy beat Drago in the final. Alex could have won it. Needed the money. Didn't forgive Hendry for that.
Greatest of all time? Depends how you define this. What Alex Hurricane Higgins was, was a genius with the cue. For me, as a teenager growing up watching Pot Black it was Higgins that inspired my excitement in snooker, coming up with shots that others didn't even imagine, let alone could execute. And what a character he was.
Alex Higgins and Jimmy White in my eyes were legends of snooker so incredibly talented and great to watch. It's a real shame Jimmy never won the championship him and Alex were electric and great friends.
Alex brought the game to youth back in the days .. prior to this it was played by old boys puffing cigars in slippers ...Alex , Jimmy white and Kirk stevens lifted the game to new heights ..they deserve total respect ✊ ❤️👍
Always been my snooker hero. Had the honour of playing Alex in an exhibition match, him and Jimmy White, when visited out town. 4 yr before died R.I.P. As taught when younger keep head still no movement till pot goes in, Alex defies all logic. a true master. Just playing for the crowd, snooker wouldnt be where it is now if not for Mr H...
The statistics tell a different story about Alex’s ability but you had to see the man in full flow to appreciate him. He wasn’t just a snooker player, he was an artist.
Ye right mate lol nobody ever has even said Alex was the most naturally gifted player non of the previous professionals the professionals of today's game or any snooker critics or long-term fans. Ye, he was the greatest showman but the most naturally gifted think you are overreaching more than just a bit.
Alex = his style of play was like no other an the outstanding choice of shot play was something of beauty- wen he was on form it was snooker purity at its best -, one with the table ❤
Magical. Alex just glued me to the screen. Gets so much action on the cueball. Such a shame he did not get great position on the 14 th red. But another superb highlight from the hurricane alex higgins.
Lol he wouldn’t of been able to concentrate without doing that probably, he needed nicotine and alcohol every few minutes while playing in order to keep calm. Had very bad nerves.
He was the antithesis of a good snooker player, with his smoking and drinking, and moving his head and body when having a shot, yet he was one of the greatest the game has ever seen. Those movements when shooting was like he was having a fit but he defied all the laws and proper techniques of snooker and became one of the greats. What a legend!
Alex was a phenomenon, one could virtually see the adrenalin pumping through his veins - surely Snooker has become somewhat more faceless again without him, sorely missed! RIP
Without Alex Higgins snooker would never had the following it did in the 80's. He brought this game from pubs and clubs to worldwide viewership and I think most of the former and current players would agree. I mean without Higgins, how do you really get excited about a game like this.
It was Alex Hurricane Higgins that got the sport on the map especially in the 70s and 80s. I was so lucky enough to goto a tournament and see him play.
Hurricane was and still is Simply thee Best and thee greatest snooker player a genius and Alex hurricane Higgins is STILL THEE people's CHAMPION we miss you Hurricane
I met and chatted with Alex just after opening time in a bar in Newcastle N.Ireland about 1983/4 when he was in his pomp,a soft spoken gentleman drinking a half of Guinness with a splash of black current!. It was so funny the look on the faces of a couple of local lads as they played pool in the background when Alex followed their 50p game and shouted "great shot!"to a young pretender,his face blushed like a beacon with pride lol. There was an independent bookies above the bar and Alex was punting away winning bags of money I think he nearly bankrupt that bookie on that day by the look on his gaunt face lol. The buzz about the town was electric that day!. That's the effect Alex had on everybody pure charisma.
What an absolute joy to watch. Great post. Alex was a bit before my time but watching him in full flow is special. I got to play a few frames on the table that he won the 1982 world championship on. The year I was born!!!
The only snooker player that ever lived that could throw balls down a 6X12 foot snooker table and pump the balls in (with the cue ball) while still in (fast) motion. He used to warm up this way right before playing in the tournaments. He never looked at people in the audience while playing in tournaments.
I'm also from Northern Ireland and attended many of the matches Alex played in. Like I said no one else alive and likely ever could pump in balls on the big 6X12 foot table only Alex could.fergyspoolshots
My brother was a fanatic .He copied all of Alex's mannerisms ,like flicking his finger like Alex and doing his twitch ,he took him off too a tee.......trouble was he couldn't pot a bulb in a 12ft flower pot.....he was absolute crap!
I think it was Steve Davis who once said that Alex Higgins 'was the only true genius that snooker has produced'. People will say 'What about Ronnie O'sullivan?'. But what I think Davis was getting at is that Alex did everything technically wrong, for example, his cue action was not textbook and he lifted his head on nearly every shot, etc. He shouldn't have been anywhere as good as he was. Where Ronnie has a perfect cue action etc and has a big advantage over Alex in that respect. I do think O'sullivan is a genius aswell though!
fergyspoolshots seriously wise up all kids had snooker cues snooker clubs were opening on every corner now they have all shut down & what kid actually asks for a snooker cue for their bloody birthday today or for christmas = NONE
Now that’s a name not many people remember these days..Peter and salvino Francisco brothers , the only guys I remember who can build a snooker table and do a century break on , they were master table builders also 👍👍
Ronnie Osullivan 5mins 20 147. Is that boring? Judd Trump potting everything. You obviously don't watch much modern snooker. Back then only Alex and Jimmy had personalities. The rest were as you say robots! Reardon, Davis, Thorborn and Griffiths
Phil Brown True enough, but they played to win. And Davis was world champion often enough. I suppose O'Sullivan is the best player to date, that can't be denied.
" I think it was Steve Davis who once said that Alex Higgins 'was the only true genius that snooker has produced'" I was there watching it and really enjoyed it. Alex is the ONLY one I love his skill the most so far...
Lots of people have compared him to Ronnie O'Sullivan (whose record speaks for itself). I think Ronnie had proper coaching whereas Alex picked up tips as he went along playing in Belfast snooker halls hence some of his unorthodox methods.
Alex higgins was absolutely phenomenal 👏 😍 🙌 He could have been world champion 🏆 maybe another few times I think that he inspired ronnie o'sullivan It was a shame that he left his health deteriorate If he quit smoking and alcohol earlier in his life, he could possibly be still alive 🎉 May he rest in heavenly peace ✌️ 1949- 2010 Just 61 years old
that's probably the best break ive ever witnessed in my life, more so because of how he did it like it was nothing. absolutely fucking unreal. I'm a huge O'sullivan fan and remember and adore his record timing break but this here is just something else. not just that but think about it, Alex was probably as drunk as fuck here too lol
Even Steve Davis said that Higgins at his best was a better player than he was ! That's quite a compliment , even with today's players , I would still put Steve Davis in the top 3 of all time !
THE GREATEST SNOOKER PLAYER THAT EVER LIVED WOW:RIP ALEX HURRCAINE HIGGINS:GODBLESS YOU IN HEAVEN ALL MY LOVE&BEST WISHES JESUS LOOK AFTER THIS FINE MAN:LOVE DAVIDXXX AMEN
The addict of snooker, then. Hardly something to be proud of. Keith Moon wasnt proud and neither was Alex. They were both quite tortured men, maybe you meant that.
The things i remember about Higgins were; He could people into almost impossible snookers and then get back out of them. He would play a difficult pot, get it, then miss the next easy red. When he played Steve Davis in the final i think he lost the first 15 frames on the first day and won them all back on the next day! Thrilling and frustrating to watch, a true genius