Phil Taylor bemoans lack of darting rivalries

As 16-time world champion and long-term PDC world number one, Phil Taylor wasn't short on rivals.

Taylor and Priestley. Taylor and Manley. Taylor and van Barneveld. Taylor and van Gerwen. The Power wasn't short on pretenders to his throne. Speaking to Live Darts, the 58-year-old bemoaned the lack of rivalries in the modern game. The Stoke thrower believes that there is only one top-flight example of needle right now.
"I think the only rivalry you've got at the moment is Daryl Gurney v Gary Anderson and next time they play each other, the viewing figures will be massive," he said.
"You're always falling out with people, like Gary and Daryl, but the week after it's forgotten with."
The nature of the professional game, with players meeting at events every week, means that familiarity can often breed contempt.
"They're too busy to be worrying about these things but when you're living with somebody, you're always going to have an argument," he added.

"That's just life"

While Taylor often indulged in mind games, some of his fights were genuine - such as with van Barneveld in 2013. But that's all part of life, says the man who played professional darts for close to three decades. "Life isn't like that where you just get on every day," the Power remarked. "It's all an act, you've got to be nice because you see the fella the next day but deep down you want to wring his neck. "But that's just life and it's the same for everybody, even when you work in a factory."