Dave Gilbert reckons Luca Brecel is not getting what he deserves: ‘I find that unbelievable’
'What Luca did last year was by far the greatest snooker thing I have ever seen.'
Dave Gilbert reckons the world champion has not been put front of centre by the snooker authorities enough since his Crucible triumph, believing some less-deserving players are being promoted more than Luca Brecel.
The pair have been drawn to play in the opening round of the World Championship, with their game on the opening day this Saturday.
Gilbert came through qualifying on Wednesday, beating David Lilley and Xiao Guodong impressively and has been handed a clash with the defending champ.
Before he knew the draw, Gilbert was asked if Brecel’s unexpected victory last year was something of an inspiration for him and the Angry Farmer gave a passionate speech on the Belgian Bullet’s behalf.
The Englishman is a huge fan of what Brecel achieved 12 months ago and he does not think World Snooker Tour have given him enough credit.
‘People forget Luca had won three or four big comps before that. You are all hyping (Jack) Lisowski every day and the guy hasn’t even won it,’ said Gilbert.
‘He gets more coverage than Luca still. I find that unbelievable how World Snooker give Lisowski so much focus. I like Jack. He’s a great player and he’s lovely to watch. But we have got a boy, who is the loveliest kid in the world, he has maximum flair. He spends all his money. Lives like a playboy. He plays the game how kids want to play. He should be the main focus of everything.
‘I don’t watch snooker but I watched that World Championship. I have never really sat and watched snooker. Certainly not for that two weeks. I bombed out on the Sunday morning, absolutely shocking. My mate said, “I am going to make you watch this for two weeks.”
‘What Luca did last year was by far the greatest snooker thing I have ever seen. It was incredible. Well done.
‘The next comp I saw him, maybe August, I don’t know Luca, but I had to go up to him and tell him he was amazing. Fair play to him. It was just unbelievable. He beat the best players. He beat a kid [Si Jiahui] from far behind. How did that even happen? He did it his way and it was brilliant to see.’
The 42-year-old was asked if Brecel’s brilliant run in Sheffield motivated him to try and do the same, but really he wanted to continue his promotion point.
‘I’d love moments like that, but I don’t have Luca’s power,’ he said. ‘If I had his dough, I could probably spend the same levels as him!
‘Maximum flair, the kid is amazing for snooker. How World Snooker haven’t had that boy and the main focus for every comp this year, I have no idea.
‘That is nothing against Jack or anyone else. I am looking at the table here [by his chair during a match], I put some water on it, and I put it on the face of this lad. I didn’t know who he was.
‘The little Shaun Murphy lookalike. Stan Moody. Nothing against Stan but what are World Snooker doing? How is the kid on a picture of all champions? I didn’t even know who he was. Luca Brecel is the boy.’
Asked for a response on Gilbert’s claims, WST said: ‘We include a wide range of players in our content, often focussing on the best up-and-coming talent. Last summer we invested significant resource in a special feature on Luca Brecel, shot on location in Belgium, including an interview inside his Ferrari.
‘We have run many other pieces of content about Brecel throughout the season including interviews and highlights videos, and he is front and centre of our artwork going into the Cazoo World Championship.’
Gilbert, a Crucible semi-finalist in 2019, was asked about his preferred draw before it was made on Thursday morning and all he wanted to avoid was Ronnie O’Sullivan and a 10am start on Saturday.
He got one, but not the other.
‘Listen, I am not going to come out this Rocket malarkey. I am sick of drawing him,’ he said. ‘I think I have drawn him two or three times first round. It’s a disaster. I actually played alright and still got murdered. I don’t want that.
‘I kept getting this 10am session first weekend. That is a shocker. I need to chill out for a few days, hit the gym
‘I don’t mind the afternoons, I keep getting this 10am starts. You don’t even feel part of the Crucible. Unless you are defending champion, you do not want to be there Saturday morning 10am, it’s a horrible time.’
It is not all bad though, far from it, with Gilbert actually feeling very positive about his game at the moment, as he showed with his impressive performances in qualifying.
‘The last four weeks I have hit more snooker balls than in two years probably,’ he said. ‘I have been playing a lot better but you don’t know what you are doing unless you get some matches under your belt. I played nicely, I grafted, made some nice finishes. I am looking forward to going to the Crucible now.
‘Listen, I am all about going forward now. I have been stuck in the mud a bit. It’s time to get cracking again.’
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