james wade

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Wade reveals his PL “torture”

By Phil Lanning

JAMES WADE admits he has been “tortured” by not hugging his little boy after shock call-up into the Unibet Premier League.

The 10-times TV major winner has been out of sorts since being given a place following the last gasp failed Covid-19 test for World Champion Gerwyn Price on Monday morning.

But Wade, 38, finally got his top four bid back on track with a win over Michael van Gerwen before revealing his secret heartbreak.

He said: “If I’m honest, people use excuses and I have in the past, I’ve probably struggled more this block section. I just keep obsessing that I didn’t give my two-year-old boy Arthur – and I know it sounds really silly – a proper hug and kiss before I left.

“He was too busy watching Blue’s Clues. But I just said ‘I’ll see you tomorrow morning’. I’ve tortured myself the whole time that why I didn’t give him a little hug and my wife a hug and kiss.

“It’s really stupid and trivial. I was so annoyed at myself. I never used to feel like that but maybe I’m just going a little bit soft and in touch with my emotions. I felt really crap.

“I spoke to him – well he acknowledged me today – on FaceTime and it made me feel a lot better. But I will never ever leave home again and not give my little boy a cuddle. And my wife as well!”

Wade says he’s been “awful” since a whirlwind 24 hours when he went from reserve to contender for a second Premier title.

He added: “It’s no secret I didn’t play amazing. I did enough to prevail. The most frustrating thing is how disconnected I’ve been from the previous two games. 

“If I’m honest it’s because I didn’t think I’d be here. I’ve been doing a lot of manual work at home, that’s what I enjoy doing, I thought I’d come here get my appearance money and just shoot back home.

“Then I got a phone call at 9am and I was told ‘you’re in’. Wow, what do I do? I hadn’t prepared mentally or darts-wise. It was a big shock.

“After two or three days it just started to sink in. I thought that 95 per cent of the Covid tests had been get here at 11am and by 7 or 8pm you had your results.

“I was waiting at 7.30am thinking ‘hurry up’ I want to go home. All of a sudden I get told that they can’t tell me who has failed a test but I’m in.

“Automatically I knew who had failed which was strange. Not that there is a conspiracy. I had a feeling and when I did find out I told my management I just knew it was Gerwyn. Ironic.

“I don’t feel I’m filling the boots of the World Champion or the crowd favourite. For two of the nights I’ve been bloody awful. I’ll keep digging in.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.

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Wade vows he can be “dangerous”

By Phil Lanning

JAMES WADE has vowed he can be “dangerous” and win the Unibet Premier League after a shock last-gasp call-up.

The ten-times TV title winner takes the place of World Champion Gerwyn Price who was ruled out this morning after a positive Covid-19 test.

Wade, 38 on Tuesday, is the most recent major champ after taking the UK Open last month and now will play Gary Anderson tonight in a bid to regain the title he last won in 2009.

The Machine could pick up a cool £250,000 as PL winner but at least £30k for finishing tenth and relegated. 

Wade revealed: “I was a reserve anyway for the Premier League so I came up last night and had my test. I’ve arranged to do lots of things at home and then had the phone call this morning saying you’re not going anywhere, you’re staying unfortunately one of the other players has failed a test.

“It is great for me but a shame for the player who didn’t pass the test, I wish him well and hope he’s alright.

“I still want to be here, I still want to win. Hopefully I proved that a few weeks ago. I’ve still got the hunger, I’ve still got the desire. But sometimes I haven’t got the right mindset. That’s part and parcel of my game. It is what it is.

“If I can start off this week alright and be keen, I could be a dangerous player in the Premier League.

“I know what I’m capable of. I haven’t touched a dart since the last time I played. But I’m not a prolific practice person so hopefully that won’t make much of a difference. After a game or two I should be back into the swing of things.

“I know I’m good enough to win it. So do the other nine people unfortunately. But I’ll have a good go I’m pretty sure.

“I think if you start off well you should have a bit of momentum with the games close to each other. But if you don’t start well that might be the same snowball effect as well. There’s not much i haven’t experienced in the world of darts.

“I’m pretty sure me and everybody else will adapt to it just fine and we’ll see what happens.”

Wade stated at the Masters that he did want a place in the Premier League but it wasn’t to be and then he picked up the UK Open.

But he warned the newcomers that the league can also be a career killer. He added: “I don’t think anyone’s entitled to be in it. I don’t think anyone’s got a given right to be in it. The Premier League is an entertainment.

“The powers above pick who is more entertainment for the people viewing. Unfortunately I wasn’t in that one. But I’ve been lucky enough to be shoed in through the back door. Hopefully I can upset some people and make some results that go my way.

“You can make your mark, it can also break you which we’ve seen it do to three or four players. It literally has turned their career off. 

“The players who have won tournaments this year, would all of them had won in front of crowds, I don’t know.

“Are they all amazing players, yes. Time will tell. I hope everyone in the Premier League has a good time and has some good games. I hope it doesn’t switch anyone’s game off and it can.

“I think 12 years ago I had a different mindset, I was much more focused on darts and darts only. Now I’ve got a family and other things around me. I still want to win just as much. Perhaps my focus isn’t there as much as it used to be. Plus I’m a little bit older.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.