Hearn response expected after Allen blast

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn is tomorrow expected to issue a response to Mark Allen’s call for him to be deposed.

Allen launched an out-of-character tirade against Hearn after his williamhill.com UK Championship first-round win over Adrian Gunnell at the Barbican Centre in York, accusing the veteran promoter of looking to “make money for himself”.

The 25-year-old’s main bone of contention appeared to be the altered format of the tournament, one of three events along with the World Championship and the Masters that he claims Hearn vowed not to tinker with when he took up office.

First and second-round matches have previously been played over 17 frames, but this year’s have been reduced to best of 11, all played in one session, while the partition that separated the tables has been removed, allowing fans to watch two games.

Some players have defended the new format, while others have voiced concerns over the direction snooker is heading in, but Allen has gone one step further by calling for Hearn, who took over at the top of the sport 18 months ago, to be replaced.

“The players don’t really matter, so **** the players,” he said, before going on to voice his concern that snooker is starting to mirror darts – the sport in which Hearn has honed his reputation as a visionary.

“Whenever Barry came in, one of the first things he said was that the World Championships, UK and Masters wouldn’t be touched. Only 18 months later, the UK format has changed.

“I don’t think he’s pleasing too many players, but anyone who voted for him has only got themselves to blame. I wasn’t one of them.

“I’ve got no doubt he’ll tweak the World Championship. Barry’s just there to make money for himself, it doesn’t really matter about the players. The whole tradition of the game is going to pot.

“It’s not all about bringing people in to watch and have a good time, shouting and having a drink.

“He (Hearn) needs to get away from the darts factor. It’s getting close to that. I think in the long run he’ll probably do good for snooker, but not for my generation. It’s time to let someone else have a go.”

World Snooker are planning to review Allen’s comments and say Hearn, who is out of the country but has previously defended the diluted format on the strength of crowd enjoyment and television coverage, could comment tomorrow.

Whatever his reaction, he is unlikely to be pleased about waking up to such negative headlines on a day when two of the game’s flag bearers will go head-to-head in a mouthwatering second-round encounter.

At 22, Judd Trump has been heralded as the heir apparent to Ronnie O’Sullivan’s role as the people’s champion, and the former’s scrappy 6-4 win over Dominic Dale means that the pair will square-up tomorrow lunchtime.

Despite turning 36 yesterday, O’Sullivan remains the game’s biggest attraction and Trump, who has moved from Bristol to Essex where he now plays at the same club as the three-time world champion, has installed ’The Rocket’ as the favourite for their clash.

“Ronnie is playing the best he has played for a long time and he is feeling the best he has for four or five years,” he said.

“He’s really up for it. Two or three years ago I would have felt under pressure, but I think the pressure is on him. He is expected to beat me, he is expected to beat everyone.”