Gary Anderson has taken issue with PDC ranking system and reckons it’s a “no-no” as he guns for European Championship glory in Germany.
The Scottish star can rocket back up the official standings with success today in Dortmund. However, Anderson doesn’t believe that is the right way. At the age of 53, the Tartan star has cut back his travelling commitments in recent times and hasn’t played in this event since 2016.
Anderson’s ranking has dropped during that period with results taken from the Euro Tour also talen into consideration on the rankings. He believes that’s not correct and explained: “Ever since they started putting the European money on the overall, the main ranking, it’s hard. You know, I’ve not done Europeans for eight years and you’ve got to remember I stayed in the top ten for about six of the years, missing all the Europeans. So I look at it, I’ve done well to do that. You know, the Europeans, the money goes on to your overall rankings and then the only way you can play in the final is this, is play Europeans.
“But I don’t think it should go on to the overall rankings. I think that’s a no-no. There’s enough tournaments and pro tours abroad that if you play in Europeans, it should go to the European finals and that’s it. It shouldn’t go to your overall rankings.”
Anderson is selective with events and added: “I do like Heldesheim, we play the pro tours and that, I do like that. It’s nice for me to get to, if I get to the right airport. I once went to the wrong airport and I was about 200 miles away! But we won’t talk about that!
“Listen, I’m getting old, I’ve got a young family, travelling, I can’t do it. I’ve got to pick and choose. Not because I want to, because I have to.”
Anderson faces Richie Edhouse in the quarters this afternoon before a potential semi-final and final tonight should he progress. It promises to be a gruelling day and he said: “Listen, people might have me as favourite to beat Richie, but I ain’t looking at that way.
“The finals are a long way to go, and to be honest, at 50, just about 54, three games in one day is hard going. It’s alright for these youngsters that are bouncing about like jack-in-the-boxes, but when you get old, it is hard.
“The first game, fair enough, it’s 100 per cent. But then you have that break. What do you do? Do you sit about for six, seven hours? (r do you go back to the room and then fall asleep and it’s back to square one again? The three games in one day is hard, so we’ll try. We’ll give it a go.”
Sunday schedule of Play
Afternoon Session (11.45am-3pm)
Quarter-Finals – best of 19 legs
- Dirk van Duijvenbode v Luke Woodhouse
- Ritchie Edhouse v Gary Anderson
- Luke Humphries v Jermaine Wattimena
- Ricardo Pietreczko v Danny Noppert
Evening Session (7pm- 11pm)
Semi-Finals – best of 21 legs
- Van Duijvenbode/Woodhouse v Edhouse/Anderson
- Humphries/Wattimena v Pietreczko/Noppert
Final
Best of 21 legs
What channel is the European Championship Darts on?
The Machineseeker European Championship will be broadcast live on ITV in the UK, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding subscribers based in the UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).