Richard McHugh has potted his last ball

Rumours were going around in the Austrian snooker scene when national federation ÖSBV released the draw for the upcoming ASL Grand Prix some days ago. All the big names were there _ except for one: that of the current No. 1, Richard McHugh. The Irishman won't take part in the event at the CSC club in his hometown of Innsbruck on 15 and 16 September. Rumours that the former professional had completely retired from the game soon came up. And though they sounded unlikely _ yes, they are true! "I must confirm that I won't be playing snooker any more," McHugh told Maximumbreak.

...Richard McHugh quits the game of snooker: "I just felt now was the time to stop"...

McHugh, who runs his own pub The Galway Bay in Innsbruck, said he didn't find enough time for decent practicing. "To play at a high level, I needed to practice 12 to 15 hours a week. And then you have the weekends away at the tournaments also. So I just feel I don't really have the time," he said.

So there was a lack of time, but his motivation to put in enough practice hours was declining also, McHugh admitted. "The inclination to practice was not there at the end of last season. And even though I played quite well at the three tournaments at the European Championships, I just felt now was the time to stop," he said. McHugh, who turns 41 later this month, stays involved in the game of snooker, which he loves too much to say goodbye for good. "I will be still involved a little in coaching here in Austria as I still love the game and all its mental and technical challenges."

Richard McHugh toured on the professional circuit between 1991 and 1997. He played 91 matches and won 38 of them. He acted one season in the Austrian Snooker League, entering five Grand Prix events and winning three times. Last year, he played 29 Grand Prix matches and won 27 of them; only Garry Balter and Ebrahim Baghi managed to beat him once. In these matches, he clinched 93 frames and lost 19. No wonder that the Irishman finished the 2006/07 season on top of the ASL Rankings [pdf-file!].

With the retirement of McHugh, the ASL has lost its main forerunner. His high level of performance forced others top players to put in an extra effort and to further raise their game. The Innsbruck region contains some promising young talents, like Kai Klien and Manuel Plattner, so hopefully they can gain advantage from McHugh's coaching. In that respect, Austrian snooker could still benefit from the Irishman's qualities and experiences in the long run, even if McHugh himself is not playing anymore.

© text: Eric Willemsen [Vienna] / picture: Patricks Black Seven Snooker Club