By Will Jennings
Stephen Maguire slammed snooker bosses for ‘not caring’ about Scottish people as his Milton Keynes misery continued.
The Glasgow player slumped to a shock 4-1 defeat against world No.117 Zak Surety in the first round of the Scottish Open and admits life in the bio-secure bubble is becoming a strain.
Maguire, ranked 109 places above Surety, is yet to progress past the third round of a ranking event this year and says he has been denied access to hiring an apartment, rather than staying in the event hotel, at the Marshall Arena venue.
The Scot let rip at tournament organisers and admits he regrets competing in the event after another dismal display on the Buckinghamshire baize.
The 39-year-old fumed: “They don’t care about Scottish people, do they? Let’s be honest, they never have and they never will. We just have to follow those guidelines, travel wherever they say we have to travel, and that’s part of the job.
“They don’t care about Scottish people. There’s too many bigger players in England, or the world, to care about us.
“I knew I shouldn’t have come down. I wasn’t ready to come down and I got what I deserved there.
“I’ve just had enough of the hotel – it’s too much for me. It’s too much to be away locked in a room. I’ve asked but I’m not allowed to stay in an apartment for some reason, whereas other boys are all mixing.
“I’m not allowed to stay away and keep myself safe. Whatever the guidelines are, they’re all messed up, but I got told the tournament’s bigger than me and I’d be withdrawn if I stayed in an apartment. In a way, I wish I did. I might as well have been withdrawn the way I played.
“I’m not saying I’d play better snooker, but I’d be a lot happier. That room, in there, takes a strong mind to stay in there all the time., and I’ve obviously not got that.
“I just can’t wait to go home and relax and get away from this place for a while. It is tough.
“I’ve just had enough. I’ll enjoy Christmas, forget about it, and it’s not a big deal. I’ll come back and refresh next year.”
World Snooker Tour responded by stating they are following the guidelines that players must either stay on the on-site hotel, or at their homes.
Maguire reached the last 32 of the European Masters, Northern Ireland Open and UK Championship but was downed by underdog Surety, 29, at the first hurdle in the third Home Nations event of the season.
The six-time ranking event winner struck a break of 57 but a solid performance from Surety, capped by a fourth frame 72, dumped the Scot out of his – technically – home tournament in the first round for the second time in three years.
Maguire has been drawn against three-time world champion Mark Selby in the first round of next month’s Masters, which will welcome back 1,000 per session into Alexandra Palace.
The former world No.2 cannot wait for the Milton Keynes monotony to end but admits to a degree of apprehension about the prospect of fans’ return.
“It would be quite exciting and nerve-racking,” Maguire added.
“I’ve not played in front of a crowd since February, so it will be nerve-racking and add pressure. It might be a good thing, because it’s dead out there.
“I’ve not even got a word for it, but it’s hard. There’s just no atmosphere there and you just don’t feel like it’s a tournament. From a player’s point of view, every tournament feels the same out there.
“You actually don’t know what tournament you’re playing in and which ones are more important than others.
“It’s not Glasgow but it’s the same result for me [at the Scottish Open] – I always get gobbled up in Glasgow anyway.”
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December 08, 2020 at 05:59AM
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Furious Maguire lets rip at snooker bosses for ‘not caring’ about Scottish people after Milton Keynes defeat - Yahoo Sports
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