My top two mean more to me than double tops
DARTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS LATEST Gaz will play less and put kids first CROSS PURPOSE IS TO MAKE HISTORY
GARY ANDERSON has revealed he is cutting back on his career to ensure cherished family moments with kids Tai and Cheylea.
The two-time world champion has announced he’ll trim his commitments for 2018 and has binned any involvement in the 13-week European Championship campaign.
Anderson is adamant he is not prepared to spend as much time away from home in the future.
With son Tai approaching school age and Cheylea recently born the 47-year-old doesn’t want to miss any more key moments as they grow up.
Anderson said: “I have a nine-week-old daughter now. The darts is absolutely fantastic, every week of the calendar you can play.
“But I am missing the Europeans. I won’t play them next year. It’s 13 weeks of the year I would love to do it but I have two young kids now.
“I don’t want to be away and miss them saying daddy for the first time or walking for the first time.
“Listen, I was born skint, I could probably die skint, I don’t care.
“I have the two youngsters now. If I have to shovel grass into a truck at the end of a week to get paid then I’ll do it.
“I will not miss time with the kids. I have done it before and won’t do it now.
“This year I have had a lot of time off, enjoyed every minute. I had the working gear on for seven weeks, painting, lifting floorboards.
“I am struggling with a bit of a bad back but it’s nice to do things like that.
“After 20 years in the building trade it’s nice to get dirty again, get your hammers out, do a bit yourself.
“It’s does refresh your mind when you hit your thumb with a hammer. But it’s good to be back to normal. There are ROB CROSS is ready to smash John Henderson’s dream Ally Pally run and prove it’s possible to win the world title at the first attempt.
The Englishman’s fairytale debut year in the PDC has continued with a sparkling run to the last 16.
Cross now faces the Highlander on Thursday night darts players out there who want the fame, who need the fame. I would rather be in the background.”
Anderson’s streamlining of events will ensure he is in tip-top shape for the big ones and his dreams of a third world title are still firmly on track.
The Scottish hero faces Steve West on Thursday for a place in the last eight as he aims for a fourth straight appearance in the Final.
Anderson said: “Us old men are doing okay. Just because Phil Taylor is retiring doesn’t mean the rest are falling. The youngsters coming through are great and it is a different game these days.
“There is no substitute for experience. You have youngsters that cannot play on the floor then play on the stage and are absolutely great.
“You get old boys who can play on the floor then cannot play on the stage. I have done it for 15 years. I couldn’t play on the stage at one time and died many a death up there.
“Michael van Gerwen was 14 when I first played him. He was fantastic. The last four, five years he has burst through.
“I won’t be on stage aged 63. Will I be here at 48? I don’t know.
“The youngsters now have a great future ahead of them. It’s fantastic with Sky, PDC and European tournaments.
“I wish I was 28 or 29 again but will I miss it when I’m gone? I don’t think so.
“People talk about respect. Darts players come on the floor and want respect and yet Paul Lim is 63 and playing great. That deserves respect.
“Paul conducted himself like a gent unlike some darts players these days. There are not many left in the tournament who I respect so I’ll have to get on with it now.” and is adamant he’s getting used to the surroundings and the pressures of the big one.
The 27-year-old firmly believes he can go all the way and cap a wonderful 12 months on the circuit.
Raymond van Barneveld has tagged him as the next Phil Taylor and Cross said: “It’s
CRAIG SWAN
getting better but I still can’t say it’s 100 per cent.
“There were sets against Michael Smith in the last round when I wasn’t quite as great and different things were happening.
“The whole year has been alien but you write your own book at the same time.
“I can defy the odds of people who say it’s not possible and try to prove it is possible.
“I want it to end this tournament as the winner.
“If I’m solid as I was in five sets out of seven against Michael for the entire game then I think I have every chance of winning every set and then I’ll end up through to the quarter-finals.”