Jimmy White and Alan McManus have vehemently disagreed with Hossein Vafaei after the Iranian’s latest Crucible rant.
Within the quick aftermath of shedding 10-5 to Judd Trump within the first spherical of this yr’s World Snooker Championship, Vafaei slated the host venue in Sheffield.
The previous Shoot Out champion, who’s constructing a fame for himself as a controversial character and a nasty loser, lambasted the services on the sport’s flagship event.
“All the pieces is so unhealthy,” Hossein Vafaei stated. “For those who ask me if I wish to come again right here, I might inform you no approach.”
“Neglect the historical past. You wish to go someplace very nice as a participant. You stroll around the Crucible and it smells actually unhealthy.
“You go to different international locations, and every part is shiny. However right here it’s utterly completely different. The follow room – do you see something particular?
“I really feel like I’m practising in a storage.”
“In the event that they don’t wish to lose the Crucible make investments some cash, make it shinier, make it nicer, make it extra luxurious for the individuals.
“In the event that they make it cleaner and nicer, individuals will take pleasure in it.”
Vafaei, who made extra headlines on the World Grand Prix when he refused to shake the hand of Mark Williams following a defeat to the Welshman, has are available for some extreme criticism from different gamers.
“Pay attention, if he wins the match, does he say that?” six-time Crucible runner-up Jimmy White stated within the Eurosport studio.
“It’s simply pathetic, I simply don’t get it. He has not carried out, he’s obtained beat. Who provides a…? Drop me out.”
“He performed in opposition to Ronnie O’Sullivan [in the 2023 World Championship] and got here out with all that nonsense there. He’s obtained beat right here. It’s simply silly.
“These items, he’ll remorse. You simply wish to say that was a silly factor to say and do. You bought beat, shake the geezer’s hand, and prepare for subsequent yr.”
Co-pundit Alan McManus additionally passionately defended the Crucible Theatre, which has staged the blue-riband championship since 1977.
“Two issues,” Alan McManus, three-times a World Snooker Championship semi-finalist, stated.
“It doesn’t odor unhealthy and every part isn’t fallacious about this place. That’s absolute nonsense.”
“I don’t know what he desires. Does he need a bunch of flowers and a prawn sandwich on the best way within the door? I don’t know.
“You come right here to play snooker. You don’t come right here to odor roses and flowers and all that stuff.
“It is a place to return and conduct what you are promoting.
“If Diana Ross got here in right here to placed on a present, or anybody else for that matter, it’s a workplace.
“It’s not a spot to return in and be pampered. I don’t fairly know what it’s he desires.
“If you wish to be a giant star on this sport, which he’s not but by the way, exit and win some tournaments. Then begin speaking like that.
“However even then, I wouldn’t be speaking like that. There’s nothing fallacious with the Crucible, there’s been nothing fallacious with it since ’77.”
Shaun Murphy, in the meantime, stated that Vafaei’s feedback have been like “sacrilege”.
“We’re coming as much as the fiftieth anniversary of snooker being right here,” the Magician stated in response.
“If World Snooker Tour turned up tomorrow and did a website go to, they’d most likely not come right here as a result of it’s not sufficiently big, however there’s nothing we will do about that.”
“However that is holy floor. It’s nearly sacrilege for knowledgeable snooker participant to be so brazenly crucial of our residence.
“Hossein ought to educate himself on how our tour works in relationships with the WST and our broadcast companions, our venues, and the way particular this place is.”
2024 World Snooker Championship Draw
Click on right here for stay scores and session occasions.
Spherical 1 (bo19)
Luca Brecel (1) 9-10 David Gilbert
Robert Milkins (16) vs Pang Junxu
Ali Carter (9) 7-10 Stephen Maguire
Shaun Murphy (8) 10-5 Lyu Haotian
Mark Selby (5) 6-10 Joe O’Connor
Kyren Wilson (12) vs Dominic Dale
John Higgins (13) vs Jamie Jones
Mark Allen (4) vs Robbie Williams
Judd Trump (3) 10-5 Hossein Vafaei
Tom Ford (14) 10-6 Ricky Walden
Zhang Anda (11) 4-10 Jak Jones
Mark Williams (6) vs Si Jiahui
Ding Junhui (7) vs Jack Lisowski
Gary Wilson (10) 5-10 Stuart Bingham
Barry Hawkins (15) vs Ryan Day
Ronnie O’Sullivan (2) vs Jackson Web page
Spherical 2 (bo25)
David Gilbert vs Milkins/Pang
Stephen Maguire vs Shaun Murphy
Joe O’Connor vs Ok. Wilson/Dale
Higgins/Jamie Jones vs Allen/R. Williams
Judd Trump vs Tom Ford
Jak Jones vs M. Williams/Si
Ding/Lisowski vs Stuart Bingham
Hawkins/Day vs O’Sullivan/Web page
Quarter-Finals (bo25)
TBC vs Maguire/Murphy
TBC vs TBC
Trump/Ford vs TBC
TBC vs TBC
Semi-Finals (bo33)
TBC vs TBC
TBC vs TBC
Last (bo35)
TBC vs TBC
Featured picture credit score: WST
