“I don't get too often after a game. He must have been watching” – Ryan Searle reveals surprising message from Gary Anderson

Ryan Searle began his Grand Slam of Darts campaign with a hard-fought victory. The Englishman beat debutant Charlie Manby 5-4 on Saturday afternoon, but was mainly critical of himself afterwards. Searle admitted that he has not made enough of his talent in recent years and spoke candidly about his lack of motivation. He hopes new darts and a possible training partner in Gary Anderson can help him turn things around.

Searle had to come back from 2-0 down against Manby and then found himself under pressure again. At 3-3, he missed three chances to take the lead. However, ‘Heavy Metal’ eventually took control, winning the final two legs in impressive fashion.

“No, I think, to be fair, it was a pretty good game. I potentially made it harder than it should have been,” Searle told the assembled media afterwards. “I missed three darts to go 4-3 up and, in such a short format, it can cost you. But I had two really good last legs, and I'm proud of myself for that.”

Although Searle has reached the semi-finals of the World Darts Championship, he is unhappy with his performances since then. The Englishman believes he could have achieved far more with his ability. “I made a semi-final at the Worlds, but I've not really done a huge amount since. That's more down to me than anything else,” he admitted.

Searle believes his personality has played a major part. He says he has enough talent to compete with the world’s best, but finds it difficult to motivate himself consistently. “It's hard. Like I've said in the past, my personality makes it difficult because it takes a lot for me to be motivated. So it's something I'm trying to work on.”

The Englishman was also asked about Luke Humphries, who is a close friend. Humphries has made great strides in recent years, both on and off the oche. “I think if you spoke to Luke about me, potentially, he would say that I've underachieved in the game, and I would 100 per cent agree with that,” said Searle.

“I just struggle for motivation. It's something I'm trying to work on, but it's hard with my personality. You've got to start somewhere, though, and why not let this tournament be the starting point?”

To get himself practising more regularly, Searle decided about a month ago to switch to a different set of darts. Interestingly, the decision was not so much driven by problems with his old equipment as by boredom.

“I change mine because I get a bit bored of the old ones. You're practising at home and thinking it's a bit boring,” he explained. “Then, all of a sudden, you get a new set and you're thinking you actually need to practise to get used to them. So it's just getting a bit more practice in at home.”

Searle says his level in practice is significantly higher than it is in matches on the big stage. If he can close that gap, he believes he is capable of much more. “I feel like, when it comes to just throwing darts, I can do that as well as anyone. But it's just the motivation and doing it on stage, which is the hardest part.”

“There's plenty of people who can play darts, but as soon as they get on stage, they can't hit a thing. For as well as I play on stage, it's nothing compared to what I do when I'm on the practice floor.”

The Englishman has high expectations for himself if he can maintain his practice level in major matches. "It's something I'm looking to bring to the stage. And when I do that, I think the world's going to be my oyster.”

After beating Manby, Searle also received a message from Gary Anderson. The two-time world champion, who regularly practises with Searle, was impressed by the way his compatriot finished the match.

“I just had a text from Gary as I walked off, which I don't get too often after a game. He must have been watching,” Searle said. “He said, 'Awesome last two legs.'"

The pair hope to practise together again soon as they prepare for the World Darts Championship. Searle sees Anderson as an ideal benchmark for his own game. “I've said this before: if I can get close to Gary on the practice board, or even beat him, then that means I'm throwing some really good stuff.”

Searle is therefore hoping to fit in a few practice sessions with Anderson before the World Championship. “We've had a chat and we'd like to have a practice before the Worlds start. So I'm looking to have a practice with Gary before then, and maybe a bit of fishing as well."

Searle is currently competing at the Grand Slam, with the Players Championship Finals in Minehead also coming up in a few weeks. However, his main target lies later in the season.

The Englishman wants to be at his absolute best for the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. In his view, the huge prize money and its impact on the world rankings make the tournament especially important. “You look at the money, it's so top-heavy at the Worlds, and that's the one that makes a massive difference to your rankings.”

Searle even said that he and Anderson want to focus their joint preparation mainly on the World Championship. “Probably not before Minehead. I don't think we're really that bothered about Minehead, and that's no disrespect to the tournament, but I think the Worlds is where you can really cause some damage.”

For now, though, Searle is focused on the rest of the Grand Slam. His win over Manby has given him a first step forward. The Englishman hopes his new equipment and changed mindset will help him consistently reach his best level again in the coming weeks. “This is where I feel like I can do some damage, obviously, whether it's now, at Minehead in a couple of weeks' time, or at the Worlds. But the main goal is to be at my peak performance at the Worlds.”