Anderson blasts he is sick of being labelled a liar
By Phil Lanning
GARY ANDERSON blasted he’s sick of being called a liar and challenged his young rivals to a stint in the Big Brother house.
The Flying Scotsman is ready for his seventh World Championship quarter-final in eight years against Luke Humphries at the Ally Pally this afternoon.
Ando, 51, is bidding for a sixth final appearance in a decade but lashed out at the younger brigade for lacking natural talent.
He said: “I’m nowhere near my top game. People call me liar, I’m telling you now, do one. If you want to say come and live with me six months.
“You want to see who’s natural players? Stick us in the Big Brother house for six months not a dartboard in sight, not a throw.
“Bring us out and play and we’ll see how good the other lot are. Then you talk about a natural dart player.
“We all talk about the youngsters, is he still going to be interviewed in 10-15 years time? Know what I mean?
“They are up and coming but now you’ve got to look. I’ve done it for 25 years now, a good 15 years in the PDC, I’ve been there or thereabouts for 13 years. Now it’s up to them.
“I don’t want to be known as this or that. I just throw the darts. I’ll sit back one day and say ‘yeh I wasn’t too bad at that’.
“I’m not one for blowing my pipe and saying I’ve done this or done that. We’ll give it a go.
“I’ve done well. I’ve actually been in the final five times in the years that I’ve been here. That’s never mentioned.”
Anderson has got a phenomenal record at the Ally Pally and has now won more matches on that stage than any other player.
On that stat, he added: “Is that one up on Phil Taylor? I can retire now!
“I’d like to win it again and that’s 50/50, six finals, won three and lost three. That would be nice to finish on.”
But he prepared for yet another last eight clash by being probably the Scot in London not to have a drink on Hogmanay.
He added: “The kids are up with me this time with Rachel. I might stay up to five past seven.
“I’ll have a cup of coffee, I’ve even got my own Coffee Mate with me. I’ve not done New Year for donkeys.
“But I did have my first birthday for a hell of a long time back home. I was out working at the fishing lakes at half six. And I loved every minute.
“I’ve never been one for out, well, since I turned 35/36. I’d rather have a nice sleep. Nice cup of coffee, sit and watch the telly and have a good night’s sleep. When you get old you bloomin’ need it, I tell you.”
Anderson also admits his body isn’t up to the rigours of the PDC tour now and even changed his glasses for the last 16 win over Rob Cross!
He said: “I did change glasses, I went to my old ones. I just did because I haven’t got this big daft bit at the bottom. They sit on my nose a bit better. I prefer the other set but it’s an old lease and it’s a bit far away the dartboard.
“The way my body is at my age, I can’t go to the Euros. If I was in the Premier League, jump on a plane three or four days away. I can’t do that.
“My body would just shut down on me. It’s bad enough playing two days on the trot. I just can’t do it all.
“It’s all on the night. You can play great darts, the next night you can turn up and not be able to hit a barn door with a hedgehog.
“However my darts go, I don’t care, I’ve had fun. I’ve seen the world, made friends and made enemies. I’ve enjoyed it 99.9 per cent of the time. I’ve done alright for an old Jock as we say.”
Schedule of Play:
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Quarter-Finals
James Wade v Mervyn King
Luke Humphries v Gary Anderson
Evening Session (7.30pm)
Quarter-Finals
Peter Wright v Callan Rydz
Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith