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JOHN HIGGINS revealed he has been made to “eat humble pie” after saying “something terrible” about Brendan Rodgers.
Four-time snooker world champion Higgins is a boyhood Celtic fan.
Rex
Kenny RamsayThe Hoops are currently nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership and have performed admirably in the Champions League with two wins and two draws from five games in the league phase.
Their European campaign this season has included a stunning 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava and 3-1 win over RB Leipzig, with Higgins saying the latter was “the best I have seen Celtic play nearly ever”.
Rodgers, 51, is well on his way to guiding the Glaswegian side to a second league title in a row since his return in June 2023.
However, Higgins has confessed that he was not among the crowd in favour of his return because of how he initially left to join Leicester in February 2019.
That decision came in the middle of when the club were trying to land an unprecedented 10th league title in a row, with Rangers ultimately managing to stop their rivals from achieving the goal.
But Celtic’s stellar displays since his return have seen Higgins, 49, have a change of heart over the Northern Irish tactician.
Speaking to the Let Me Be Frank Podcast, he said: “I have got to be honest, I didn’t want Rodgers back. It’s terrible to say it.
“Just with how he left and that ten in a row. And different things. But I have had to eat humble pie. The way he has got us back playing.”
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Asked whether he was an upgrade on ex-boss Ange Postecoglou and about Rodgers’ return following his unceremonious exit the first time, Higgins said: “Of course. That’s the only reason.
“A lot of Celtic fans think if he would have stayed, we would have got the ten.
“I know [Steven] Gerrard was coming. He does have Rangers’ number big time, doesn’t he?”
A member of snooker’s Class of 92′ with Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan, Higgins won his opening match at the Scottish Open 4-2 over Ian Burns.
He will face Barry Hawkins in the next round tomorrow.
The winner of the Scottish Open will pocket £100,000 in prize money.
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins
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