"It felt like a bit of a personal attack": Gary Anderson 'discombobulated' says Wayne Mardle amid pundit and press outburst

Gary Anderson lost out in his World Grand Prix quest last night to Mike de Decker and now goes home from Leicester albeit with a lot more moments in press conferences than on the stage. Wayne Mardle was asked about his words surrounding retirement and aiming issues at pundits and the press.

Anderson was asked about retirement and told press that they haven't got a clue and also hit back at the perception surrounding Luke Humphries. A topic that has been since been agreed with by James Wade with the spotlight not thrust on the World No.1 according to two of the greatest of all time.

But while Dan Dawson had the view that Luke Littler gets press as he's won more titles this year anyway, Mardle said that Anderson just looked a bit flummoxed.

"Gary has these thoughts about retirement. He mentioned retirement a few years ago and I don't think anybody else has. Why would you retire when you're playing this well. He just got a little angry, I don't know why. I know he feels pressure at these events even though he says I don't care. I think that's just deflecting the pressure that he's feeling because these are pressurised situations and environments," said Mardle on Sky Sports.

"As for the outbursts there were four or five of them. He just seemed a little bit discombobulated for me. I think becuase he hasn't won a TV event in a while but of the TV, he's playing the best darts out of anybody and he may be getting a little bit frustrated that it doesn't happen on here."

"On his outbursts at pundits and the media, It felt like a bit of a personal attack, there's no need for that."