Sport
Glen Durrant: “Give me the Premier League title!”
Glen Durrant has joked that if Liverpool are handed the Premier League title, then he should be awarded the darting equivalent and £250,000. The three-times BDO World Champion was top of the table in the PDC Premier League when it was halted for lockdown two months ago.
Now he’s back on the oche, having won his PDC Home Tour group last night but can’t help thinking about what could have been on the big stage.
Speaking to Phil Lanning for Colossus, Glen Gurrant said: “It is tough. In the Premier League I was in the heart of it, getting used to it and loving it. It’s not finished yet and I can’t help but wonder how it would have panned out.”
“If they postpone it, am I back in next year? All these things are going through my mind. That’s the toughest part. If Liverpool and Celtic are going to be given the title, then give me the Premier League title as well. I’ll take the £250,000 no problem!”
Duzza, 49, swapped barbies for bullseyes and played in his daughter’s old bedroom for the online streaming clashes with Justin Pipe, Maik Kuivenhoven and Vincent van der Meer. But he also admits that snooker legend Mark Selby has been a great friend and inspiration during this coronavirus crisis.
He added: “I haven’t gone down the online darts route like other players. When I won Lakeside I bought my daughter her house, so I’ve got her room.”
“I speak to Mark daily. We’ve had a good chat about motivation and practising. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to get down to the Crucible and support him again. He’s become a really big friend.”
“It’s a big inspiration. Even a bigger conversation was when he was at a low ebb, think he lost at the Crucible last year, we chatted for hours. He was asking my opinion when I had bad times, I found that very motivational. He’s a big darts fan and he’d love to come to a Premier League.”
“I’ve had a couple of bad days like everybody has. I can’t believe how much I used to complain about travelling and hotels. I’d give the world to be doing that again. I’m missing darts incredibly.”
“It’s a concern this year. I’m top of the Premier League, playing the best darts of my life. It’s really disappointing to be in lockdown. I’m not a 30-year-old, I look at someone like Chris Dobey who has his whole future ahead of him.”
“I’ve given myself five years and if we don’t play darts again this year, that’s a fifth of the time of the plans I had. History tells you that you can only play at the top level for so long. I’m a strong believer that right now I’m on top of my game. My sanctuary is my dartboard. I’ve practised hard all my life. I’m still putting in a good two hours a day.”
“I’ve actually done some manual labour and painted a fence. All I’ve done all my life is sit behind a desk and then play darts. I couldn’t walk for three weeks and all I did was bend over a paint a fence for a day. What a wimp!”
“You’ve just got to utilise your time right and think about the big picture. Most of the games have been finishing about 10 past 10, so I was anticipating a midnight finish because of me and Justin on the oche!”
“They are all good players, it’s a bit of a leveller this format and I’ve been looking forward to it. I’ve done all the checks for my phone. I think people were surprised we had WiFi in Middlesbrough.”
“I always said I’d be unbeatable in my bedroom. So it’s time to prove that. I did have a couple of pairs games with my nephew. Honestly I was rubbish. My online record with pairs this year is played three, lost three. I could feel the nerves.”
“But I’ll treat it serious. I’m going to prepare properly and go in there to win it. There’s been some shock results and the likelihood is that there will be a shock winner.”
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