Stephen Maguire wants heads to roll at ‘garbage’ World Snooker Championship qualifiers

Stephen Maguire is hating his return to World Snooker Championship qualification, saying he wants people sacked for the way the tables are set up and describing the format ‘garbage’.

The Scot has not had to go through qualifying to reach the Crucible since 2018, but after tumbling down the world rankings to number 40 he now has to come through the tension-filled halls of the English Institute of Sport.

Maguire’s main gripe has been that two of the tables are, as he puts is, ‘upside down’ with the black spot at the end at which the crowd is.

The 41-year-old says he has never seen the tables that way round in his career and the change is confusing to deal with for players.

He did win his first round of qualifying – beating Zhang Jiankang 6-3 – but he still wants people to be fired for what he sees as a huge mistake.

‘I just want to know whose idea it was to change the table round – and to put it upside down. How is that possible?’ Maguire questioned.

Neil Robertson makes Ronnie O'Sullivan World Snooker Championship prediction

Michael Holt reacts to losing tour card after World Championship defeat

World Snooker Championship 2022 schedule confirmed with Ronnie O'Sullivan on opening day

‘How can the black spot be where the crowd is? That has never happened since I have been a pro, 20 years. All of a sudden you are shooting into the crowd around the black.

‘So any sort of movement in the crowd…it was alien out there. Whoever’s idea that was to change the tables about needs to be sacked – it’s that simple.’

Maguire has been to the Crucible every year since making his debut in 2004 and he will have to beat Zhou Yuelong over a best-of-19 to continue that excellent record.

Until the final round of qualifying, the matches are now best-of-11,