Introduction

Michael Georgiou started his snooker career after winning the 2007 IBSF World Under-21 Snooker Championship, beating Zhang Anda 11-6. After dropping off the tour in his first year and playing outside of the main tour, Georgiou decided to hang up his cue to go into the world of work.

Inspired by friends who became successful snooker players after Barry Hearn became chairman of the WPBSA, Georgiou decided to give snooker another go. In 2014, he received a two-year card to become a snooker player again. His best result was reaching the Last 16 of the 2015 Welsh Open. Despite failing to make it to the Top 64 after two years, he immediately qualified again via Q School.

Since 2016, he decided to represent Cyprus, the nationality of his grandparents. He then made history by becoming the first Cypriot to win a first ranking title by defeating Graeme Dott in the final of the Snooker Shoot-Out. This improved his ranking significantly, jumping to his highest ranking of No. 49 in the world at the end of the 2017/2018 season. This season, he scored his first maximum in the 2018 Paul Hunter Classic.

We exchanged a lot of lovely messages over the past couple of weeks. Hope you enjoy the interview below!

Interview – Michael Georgiou

CoR: When did you start being interested in snooker?

Michael Georgiou: According to my parents, the first signs of interest I showed in the game was when I was 2-3 years old. I think my babysitter’s husband used to watch a lot of sport and perhaps I watched the snooker on TV and was fascinated in it since then. I only decided to start playing on the full-size tables when I was 8-9 years old and haven’t looked back since.

CoR: What was difficult during your first stint as a snooker player?

Michael Georgiou: After winning the world Under-21s in Goa, India and qualifying for the professional tour, I was very excited about the first year as a pro! However looking back now, I think it was bad timing.

It was a time when snooker wasn’t as popular as a sport as what it is now. Many snooker clubs that I grew up in and practised in were closing down rapidly. For my first year, I didn’t have a base to practise at. I was working and trying to compete at the same time but it was pretty much impossible to create a career in snooker.

CoR: When you decided to hang up your snooker cue for the world of work, did you think you were going to become a snooker player again?

Michael Georgiou: Honestly at the time, I didn’t think I was ever going to pick up the snooker cue again!

I thought I was destined to climb the career ladder in a sector that I haven’t even thought about. It was tough as all I ever wanted to do was play snooker and that was no longer my life. I jumped from job to job when I stopped playing as I didn’t even know what to do career-wise. It varied from bar work and coffee shops to recruitment. I never felt settled in any of them, despite how good or bad the money was.

To look back now, and see where I currently am is only something I could have dreamed of. I feel very lucky to have the support around me in order to follow a passion of mine.

CoR: Why did you give snooker another crack in the end?

Michael Georgiou: What brought me back to the game was pure curiosity. I had stopped playing before Barry Hearn came back to run World Snooker. I would always keep an eye on the game as it developed in the coming years. When I was seeing the players I grew up with picking up large cheques and travelling the world, I saw no reason as to why I wouldn’t be able to achieve that. Of course, I knew it would be hard work!

CoR: After two years, you managed to qualify via Q School. How difficult was it?

Michael Georgiou: Q School is a very harsh and tough method of qualifying. Every player is capable of winning and with a BO7 format, it’s basically anyone’s for the taking. However should you come through Q School, it can be very rewarding.

CoR: Let’s talk about your Cypriot roots, something which you take great pride of! How come it took until recently to obtain a Cypriot passport?

Michael Georgiou: Well, I am very proud of them! I think the World Cup and the whole Brexit saga encouraged me deeply to obtain my passport. I am very proud to represent Cyprus on a global sport, and it is a dream of mine to be involved in the development of the game in Cyprus. That would be hard work. But it would be amazing for me to see another Cypriot come through and turn professional!

CoR: What sort of things are you planning to do in Cyrus to develop snooker?

Michael Georgiou: I think for me to grow the sport there, you need to start from the grassroots and getting youngsters involved. It’s is a great way to grow any sport. I would love to open an academy there and offer to time and guidance to those who are curious about snooker.

Something like that is not cheap to set up. If I could get support from the government or the association there then it would be more realistic to achieve. We just need to see what the future holds. I wouldn’t think twice about basing myself there.

CoR: I’ve never been to the country myself……

Michael Georgiou: Wow, you have to go at least once in your life, that’s all it takes to get hooked on that place. I just love the way of life there. Unlike London, everything there is very relaxed. The nature is stunning and don’t even get me started on how great the food is there! I highly recommend anyone to visit there!

CoR: Now let’s talk about the Shoot-Out! What do you remember of your run to victory?

Michael Georgiou: The Shoot-Out seems like such a long time ago already but probably the main things that I remember of this tournament were the feeling of lifting the trophy and having the crowd cheer for you. It was one of those moments I wanted to just record the feeling as it is impossible to describe! Also, I remember vividly that I nearly had a heart attack in the final as I saw Graeme Dott coming back at me with unbelievable pace. I was convinced I had blown the final!

CoR: What do you think of the Shoot-Out as a ranking event? Do you think it shouldn’t ever be or has it earned it’s status now?

Michael Georgiou: I don’t really have any views on the Shoot-Out being a ranking event or not. It helped me achieve a Top 64 status for the following year and I am grateful for that. Everyone who are discussing whether it should be a ranking event or not, has given the game further publicity and it is very entertaining to watch from an outsiders point of view. It’s an open event at the end of the day. If it was only an invitational then I think there would be valid grounds for an argument there.

CoR: The Shoot-Out debate is a funny one. It is split down the middle of the fanbase over if it should be a ranking event or not. When Anthony McGill won it, he said it shouldn’t be a ranking event on God’s earth!

Michael Georgiou: Yes, I remember his speech quite well but each to their own. That wasn’t his first ranking event so maybe the joy there wasn’t as big as what I was feeling due to it being my first. Maybe he’s right or wrong, but the fact that it gets people talking about it is a success in its own. Mr. Hearn is very clever in that sense, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

CoR: What was Cyprus’s reaction to your first ranking win?

Michael Georgiou: The response from Cyprus after my win was okay, I suppose. I did feature in a number of magazines and newspapers but it only went on for a month or two. It would be a lot different should I have had this achievement in golf or tennis or even football. Snooker needs time to grow in Cyprus first before it gets the media coverage that over sports currently get. But I would love to contribute into making that happen and introducing more and more people to the game.

CoR: You must be looking forward to defending your crown then and you’ve been given a tough draw against Peter Ebdon.

Michael Georgiou: Oh, I can’t wait to return there as defending champion. I’m more excited about seeing my face on the posters around the venue than actually playing! The crowd is always fantastic there (especially on a Friday and Saturday night) and the venue is great also!

Yes, he is a tough draw but whatever happens in the 10 minutes happens. Hopefully, I won’t hear Peter yell out “VEGAN POWER!!!” once the game is over. It should be another great event this year with more drama than last years, fingers crossed.

CoR: What would be your advice to those who initially put snooker on hold as you did?

Michael Georgiou: I think if you are in a position to go and give the game another go, then do it. I would personally rather be poor doing something I enjoy than to earn a good living and despising my Mondays on a weekly basis!

The game has never seen a better time in terms of opportunities to earn a living and the experiences we get on tour especially with the events in China are just amazing. We travel quite a lot and see places you never would think to see. I came back to snooker because I love it!