Nicholson not ready for 2022 Q-School return: "I'm not going to go and get flogged"

Paul Nicholson as ever will be working at the 2022 PDC World Darts Championship for Talksport and having been in the venue last year, he spoke about Gerwyn Price's victory in front of no crowd.

"I think it's a bit odd. The way that things were last year, I applaud the way that the stage crew and the PDC put the central walk on, it made it have it's own grandeur when it was an empty room. I think that was very clever," said Nicholson to Online Darts.

"One thing we know about Gezzy is when something isn't ideal in a win, he has this ability to go back and almost redeem what he wanted before. Look at the first Grand Slam win, it wasn't an ideal situation but then he won the following year and made some history by defending the title with the fans almost on his side at the end."

But while he has contenders this year, Nicholson said if he had to be pushed for a name it would be the Iceman currently.

"We are in a time now where there are some uncertainties and Covid is not behind us but there are things that really excite me about it.

"He's the favourite, I think he's got close challengers in Peter Wright and Michael van Gerwen without a shadow of a doubt and there are going to be some other hitters that can go on runs but now Gezzy has reached the top of the tree, he's going to have that experience of doing it in that room and I think that's important for him.

"Do I think he's going to win the title? I'm still thinking about that, but if someone gave me an elbow and said you have to stick a name on the trophy now I'd have to say there's no reason why he can't win it."

Another talking point is Fallon Sherrock, her return to the foray and a Premier League spot potentially but for Nicholson, he wouldn't currently include her.

"Right no I wouldn't, I think there are other things that need to be done first. I want to see a woman in the Premier League, I'd like to see the Premier League rehashed a bit. The structure of it is under review and we want to see how it can be jazzed up for the return of fans."

"I think for her to grace the Premier League, it's only fair that she has a card. I think if she was only playing Premier League then she's going to Challenge Tour, that would be a bit odd and if she was playing some say WDF events as well. Imagine playing in Dublin to playing Selsey, it's a little bit different."

Despite shifting his focus to the media, Nicholson has been teasing another return to the sport in recent months but fans of 'The Asset' have mixed news on his return.

"I have decided in the last few days that I am going to be working at the WDF World Championship. I'm going to work for the final four days of that, I'm going to take a couple of days off between Ally Pally and Lakeside. I've done enough practice over the last couple of weeks when I've had some time off to establish where I'm at."

"I'm not going to be ready for Q-School, I'm not going to go to Q-School and get flogged. Mentally that's not the right thing to do for me so the right thing is to go to the Live League in 2022 and rebuild my game like Colin Osborne has."