Taylor admits PL would drive him “crazy”

By Phil Lanning

EXCLUSIVE

PHIL TAYLOR has admitted that being stuck in a Unibet Premier League hotel bubble would drive him “crazy”.

The 16-times World Champion signed his World Seniors Darts Championship contract for early 2022 earlier today, as revealed on Oche last week.

But legendary star The Power has sympathy for the players in the PL who are stuck for five days at the Marshall Arena per block.

Gary Anderson last year stated that players were going “stir crazy” during a similar stint and Taylor added: “It would drive me crazy. I was watching the results from the Super Series in the same venue and the players who went out first round, like 2pm, you’d have to sit in your room until the next day. I would be suicidal. 

“The only thing you can do is walk round the car park. Being stuck in there for so many days would drive me crackers.

“It’s every day, you’ve got to prepare and you’ve got to do it properly every day like it’s the World Championship final.

“It shouldn’t affect Gary, he doesn’t come out of his room anyway, only for something to eat. It won’t bother Gary too much. Whether he does well in the Premier League. I doubt it because I think he’s more into fishing at the minute, his life’s changed a little bit. 

“He’s still have that little bit between his teeth when he’s ready but it’s going to be hard for Gary.”

It was also announced last week that Taylor has signed a 10-year contract extension with top darts firm Target – which will take him into his 70s.

Asked whether he’ll be playing darts using a zimmer frame, he laughed: “No I won’t, hopefully I won’t need one.

“I still want to play competitively, not on the circuit, but I’ll play exhibitions. I still want to win and I miss that competition.

“I’m not a big watcher of darts because I love playing. Now I just look at it and think I’d love to have a go at Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, because I like them. They’ve got good spirit about them, the same as Michael (van Gerwen).”

*Interview in association with BetBull. 

Checkout Phil Taylor’s tips for the Premier League at betbull.com.

Images by Taylor Lanning.