Not been able to sleep a wink last night mainly due to the Grand Prix draw being lodged inside my head. Never up this early in my lifeForgive me for being a bit cheesed off at the draw we got. Wozza drew Dutchman Ray Barneveld in the opening round with the winner more than likely playing Taylor in round 2 providing Phil gets over Wes Newton in round 1.
The Barney/ Warriner draw is a great draw for Sky Sports to be honest but i personally would have prefered meeting Barney later on in the tournament when we have established ourselves a bit. The first round at the Grand Prix is best of 3 sets best of 3 legs so over a short format anything is possible so we'll be needing Wozza to come flying out of the traps in that one. Draw was made last night at 11.50pm and Wozza was ok with his draw so now we gotta go and prepare for it like in any other match and thats what we will do.
Going back to the Irish lads with Gareth and Anto. Gareth will play "The Pieman" Smith in the opener and low and behold Anto was drawn against Mark Walsh. Walshie is a figurehead for darts exhibitions but it a little bit deflated at the moment and if Anto was ever going to catch a top pro off gaurd this would be it. Anto has a temper/concentration problem though and that will be his downfall in whatever round it is he goes out in.
The one match that generated a huge groan when pulled out of the hat last night was the match that I am really looking forward too which is that of Andy Callaby and Kevin Painter. Small bit of needle in this one and i'll be shouting for Super Cally here at the scene of his most fanous hour in 2004. Cally can play and when the order of merit comes out in January we will be seeing at lot more of him on our TV screens. Cally has Kelly as his good luck omen so he should be alright.
Johny Part will be delighted with his draw as he will face Lionel Sams in the opener. Lionel is a good player but his record on camera has not been great since he burst on the scene at the worlds in 2003/04. Mace the Ace against One Dart Manley is another mouth watering encounter we have to wait for.
One disapointment for me was to see my old mate Colin Osbourne lose the final leg of the last qualifying match to Steve Beaton. I Have huge hopes for "the wizard" and have obtained a bet of €100 at 50/1 that Colin will be World Champion in the next ten years. I think he is that good. He is young though and like Cally when the order of merit comes out in January and they do away with all the rubbish you will see alot more of him on our TV.
The four qualifiers nevertheless were Super Cally,Steve Beaton, Barney and Alan Green.
The games i'll be looking out for are obviously enough Wozza/Barney, Mace/Manley, Anto/Walsh and Cally/Painter. I've already looked at a nice accum.
Unbelievable this year that Ireland are not been given any Wildcard to the World Championship. It is shocking really. The Dutch have 3. I wonder why.......????????, The Germans have 2.........I'm not even go into that......and wait for the best bit.......Denmark have one. Germans and Danes have done 100,000 sweet nothings for this game and its total politics why they are getting them and if I was Mick Mcgowan, John MaGowan, Tom Kirby or to a lesser extent Owen Caffrey i'd be bullin. Shocking decision but such is darts.
A total and utter Joke.
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