Joe Swail, one of Northern Ireland's greatest ever snooker players, says the competitive fire still burns within him, even though he retired from the professional circuit in 2019. Despite the Northern Ireland Open taking place at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast this week, the 57-year-old has admitted he cannot bring himself to attend, as the urge to compete becomes too strong.
Avoiding the Auditorium
'I watch it on TV and catch up with my old snooker pals, but I have no real interest in going and sitting in the auditorium to watch snooker, because you want to be there. And the fact that you're not there, it's like something's missing. So I choose not to go to it,' Swail told Metro.
He did make an exception for the final last year, which featured Jack Lisowski and Judd Trump. 'That was a fantastic atmosphere,' he recalled, but added, 'I've no real interest in going and sitting in the auditorium.'
Asked if the competitive urge ever leaves you, Swail said: 'No, no, it doesn't [leave you], to be honest with you. Don't get me wrong, I love the game, but the competitive side is still there. It's not as if I can just turn off a switch and that's it. You just move on and deal with what's ahead of you.'
A Special Memory in Belfast
The Waterfront Hall was the scene of one of Swail's most memorable victories, when he defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan in the last 16 of the 2005 Northern Ireland Trophy in front of his home crowd. 'Yeah, that was very, very special because obviously he is who he is, you know what I mean?' Swail said. 'And to beat him in front of my own crowd, it was very, very special. Great memory.'
Despite that fondness, he remains resolute: 'Don't get me wrong, it's a great venue, but I just cannot go in and watch snooker! It's still burning inside me. Even though I'm out of it now and I'm in a far, far happier place.'
Conquering Depression
Swail's latter years on the circuit were marred by depression, a struggle he has since overcome. 'I just lost control of myself, because obviously I wasn't getting the results, money was very, very scarce and a mortgage, bills to pay and everything gets on top of you, everything accumulates, and that did set in,' he explained.
He now finds contentment in a simpler life, away from the demands of the tour. 'Now I'm out of it, I get to my own bed at night and it's great. You do what you want to do. You coach whoever you want to coach. You go wherever you want to go. Looking back, snooker always told you what to do. If you're playing at 10 o'clock in the morning, you've got to be there at 10 o'clock in the morning. Whereas now, it's the other way about, you do what you want to do and that's all lifted now. The depression has lifted. You're able to take stock of your life and decide what's best for you and your family.'
He also cares for his brother, who is completely deaf and has mental health issues, following their father's death in 2018. 'My brother, he's completely deaf and has a lot of mental issues. And my dad died in 2018, so he needed someone to look after him, so I'm more or less his carer. So everything just happens for a reason. Family and friends are the most important thing. Snooker is just a job, a hobby, and I've got to take stock of where I was and what I've become now.'
No Regrets and a New Outlook
Reflecting on his career, which included two World Championship semi-finals, a Welsh Open final, and a high of number 10 in the world rankings, Swail has no regrets. 'Oh yeah, great memories and storytelling and loving life,' he said. 'I burnt the candle at both ends and I probably should have done better, but I've no regrets. I had a great time, met some brilliant people, been to some wonderful countries, and it's just been brilliant.'
He acknowledged that a lack of motivation often coincided with good times. 'The bottom line is, if I feel as if I'm struggling, I'll get my head down. If I'm skint, I'll get my head down. If I feel like I'm playing all right, I'll not practice. If I've got a few quid in the bank, I'll not practice, and then everything suffers. That's why my rankings were always up and down like a yo-yo.'
Swail remains involved in the game through coaching, including mentoring young talent Joel Connolly, and playing for a local team in the Belfast League on Thursday nights. He recently had a lens replacement in his eyes, which has renewed his enthusiasm for playing. 'I'm coaching all different levels. There's a young kid that I'm coaching at the minute, Joel Connolly, he's got a lot of talent and he's got time on his side, and it all depends how much he wants it,' he said.
He believes the modern game is far more competitive than in his day. 'Whenever I came into the game, there was only maybe, 20-25 players that could really, really beat each other. But now you can get anybody beating anybody, it's frightening!'
Ultimately, Swail is at peace with his career and his life now. 'If I had a stuck at it, had been a lot more dedicated, I definitely would have done a lot more damage,' he reflects. 'But no regrets because I've always been happy go lucky and probably enjoyed my life too much, if you can do that. It's all good.'
