"It's not the big boys they're protecting, it's the people just below": Daryl Gurney hits out on controversial PDC rule changes

Daryl Gurney is one of the most passionate and combative players on the PDC circuit. In a recent interview with Online Darts, he spoke candidly about his game, the changes within the PDC and the impact of rules and penalties on his playing style.

Gurney was always known as a player with an intense and aggressive style of play, focused on himself and his performance. This aggression helped him get in the zone and perform at the highest level. But recent changes within the PDC, particularly strict regulations and fines for inappropriate behavior, he says have limited the way he expresses his emotions.

"I could get into the zone where I could get angry and I could beat anybody. With fines rolling about, the PDC has absolutely took it out of me. I can't do nothing now. I've never done anything really towards a player it was always myself," Gurney explained. He stresses that he never wanted to intimidate opponents, but that his fiery attitude was mainly directed against himself. Still, he sees that the modern darts world is leaving less and less room for players with outspoken personalities.

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"If I do anything I'm walking on eggshells and I can't go through the same process as I used to. That kept me focused, really intense and on my game. If I do something, I think they're going to come looking for me and give me a fine. The PDC have knocked the aggression out of myself."

Gurney is not alone in noticing this. Players such as Gerwyn Price, also known for his intense style of play, seem to have to suppress their true nature. "Gerwyn has now found a second gear. There's not many apart from the two (Luke's) that are playing better than Gezzy so I expect him to finish top four," Gurney said.

Another point Gurney raised was the huge advantage some players have by playing in the Premier League on a weekly basis. He referred to his own experience in the Premier League and how that helped him maintain a consistently high level. "When I played in the Premier League, I loved the way it made me feel. It made me practice. Now whenever I play on stage, it's like I'm starting again.

By contrast, now, without those top weekly matches, he feels like he has to start from scratch every time. "I played in the UK Open. My next one is the World Matchplay. Whilst they play every week. I think they get a big advantage for doing that. At the UK Open, you're not playing upstairs you're playing on the main stage" This, he says, creates an unequal situation in which darts' elite are further favored over the players just below them.

Daryl Gurney expresses rule change frustration.

Gurney then expressed his frustration with the new Euro Tour rules. Last year, he worked extremely hard to improve on the Pro Tour rankings and get into the top 16 so he could enter directly on Saturday. This year, however, the PDC changed the rules so he still had to start on Friday.

"It took the wind out of my sails because last year I fought so hard. Even on the Friday it's so good, I thought I don't want to be playing here I want to be playing on Saturday. I tried my damnest and I pushed myself into the top 16. If the rule was like last year, I'd be playing on the Saturday for the first six. It made me feel like all the hard effort I put in was just a waste," Still, he stresses that complaining doesn't solve anything. "But at the end of the day you have to beat who is in front of you."

The rules were changed to protect the top players. Instead of the top-16 of the Pro Tour rankings, now the top-16 of the world rankings are automatically seeded for the second round of the Euro Tours. According to Gurney, the protection lies not with the absolute top, but with the players just below them.

The players who have to defend a lot of money but are seen in that PDC elite mould, sell tickets and are more commercially viable.

"It's not the big boys they're protecting, it's the people just below. We all know that last year who they were protecting and this year we know who they're protecting again. People who would have to go to a qualifier are all of a sudden playing on a Saturday randomly. It takes a lot of pressure off them."

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