Smith on being left out of Premier League line-up: "I was devastated and hurt, it knocked my belief"

Michael Smith was one of a few omissions from this year's Premier League line-up and since then has discussed how he feels he was hard done by and deserves to be involved compared to other players.

Smith spoke to Oche and went into further depth about the decision and how he wants to use the setback to force himself back into the reckoning.

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“I say what I think and I get a backlash for that. I’m not going to change as a person, I speak from my heart and mind. I really don’t think that’s a bad thing to be honest," said Smith to Oche.

“I was devastated and hurt not to be picked for the Premier League, I admit that. It knocked my belief and I didn’t think I deserved to be left out.

“I reached the final of the Masters in 2020, reached the World Cup final, hit a nine-darter in the Premier League and did OK in a difficult year. The previous year I was runner-up in the Worlds and Matchplay and I’m still above four players in the league in the rankings.

“But I’m not being disrespectful about those players or the PDC. I just felt I had done enough. I’m genuinely just frustrated at myself more than anything. It’s impatience to get to where I want to be. Sometimes I say stuff and it comes out wrong and people jump on me for it.

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“I said to Dimitri after I beat him in the Super Series that I need that win over him for my own belief. I wasn’t being nasty or anything. But it came out all wrong!

“I have to learn to take setbacks in my stride, I’m getting better at that. I’ve hit the reset button and to start again. I need to go back to winning floor tournaments, which I have done, and show what I can do.

“Players like Adrian (Lewis), Gary (Anderson) and Peter (Wright) have all had Premier League low points with not being selected or relegation. They then came back fighting and went on to be World Champions. Sometimes that can act as a really good motivation. I will aim to do that.”

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