ANDO OF GOD
Proud Gary determined to right Scotland’s World Cup wrongs
GARY ANDERSON last night vowed to bury a decade of pain and end Scotland’s World Cup hurt.
The world No.2 and team-mate Peter Wright launch their bid tonight desperate to put the nation’s name on the trophy.
Despite being one of the game’s sharpest shooters Anderson has endured a miserable time at the World Cup.
This time though the two-time champion of the world wants a happy ending.
Anderson is fuelled by passion as he heads for Frankfurt and said: “Once I get that shirt on it changes for me. It’s like an honour.
“You read stories about footballers or rugby players pulling on the national shirt and how it inspires them.
“How hearing the national anthem gives them a bit extra in their performance.
“They’ve got about 50,000 voices yelling at Hampden or Murrayfield to help them along but it’s probably the knowledge it’s for their country that drives them more than the shouting and singing.
“I’m like that. It’s like I get that wee bit extra from the feeling of the Scottish pride.
“You’ll see me at events. I’m fiercely patriotic and maybe it made a difference when I changed my shirt for normal tournaments.
“A few years back my manager Tommy Gilmour and myself looked at some new designs. It was always all black but I wanted some recognition of Scotland on there so we picked the tartan sleeve down one side. After I got that done I won two World Championship titles, so perhaps that was inspiration.
“Maybe it’s coincidence but I don’t care who it is or what nation they are playing for, there will be no one prouder in Germany representing their country than me.
“I’ve won world titles and Premier Leagues but that World Cup for Scotland is a missing piece of the jigsaw and I want it.”
Anderson and world No.3 Wright have been installed as bookies favourites and tonight’s opener against Singapore should pose no problems for the duo who reached the Final in 2015 before losing-out in a last-match shootout to England.
Anderson though has learned to take nothing for granted at the World Cup.
While the football team have been humbled in the past by Peru, Iran and Costa Rica the darts boys have suffered desperate setbacks against nations such as Spain.
Anderson said: “It’s not just as easy as the fact we are No.2 and No.3 in the rankings.
“It comes down to more than that, in doubles matches especially. It’s about rhythm and flow and having a pairing that dovetails.
“Losing to England in that final hurt and my World Cup record isn’t magic. Wright, who missed last year’s event for family reasons, said: “We’re the favourites and we’re both on form. All we’ve got to do is click and we should win the title.”
GARY ANDERSON