‘I'm awkward… I don't fit the mould' – James Wade slams darts chiefs and says he's ‘crushed' by Premier League snub
'The Machine' recently moved up three places in the Professional Darts Corporation's Order of Merit to No.5, meaning he is one spot away from being automatically included in next year's Premier League with the rest of the top four.
3
3
3
The 2009 Premier League winner hasn't competed in the tournament since the 2022 edition, which saw him finish third.
Fellow Englishman Stephen Bunting is currently fourth in the PDC rankings, and after a strong first round showing at the World Matchplay by beating Joe Cullen 10-3 while averaging 104.44, Wade's form suggests he could push to overtake him.
However, 'exhausted' Wade has joked the PDC would 'change the qualification gaps' to stop him playing in the Premier League.
He said: "I think I've paid enough dues, and I think I've done enough things, and I think I've given enough of my life to the PDC that I'd like to get those rewards.
"But I don't think that'd ever happen to me. I think if I was to get back into the top four things would change with the qualification gaps.
"I just think it would change. I'm not what they need and I'm not probably what they want, but I want to be there a hundred percent.'
After the top four automatically qualify, the rest of the players are selected by Sky Sports and the PDC and assessed on marketability and popularity.
And Wade puts him being left out for the last three years on him being 'awkward.'
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
Asked for his theory on his exclusion, he said: 'Because I'm awkward. I'm an awkward character. I probably don't say the right things at the right times.
"If I was great at saying the right things at the right time, I probably would've been in all the World Series the last 12 months. But I don't quite fit into that mould.
"There's other players that do manage to get those things and unfortunately, I don't. I'd love to travel the world. I've been doing it for 25 years.
"Do you not think I want to travel the world? Do you not think I want to represent the PDC? Do you not think I want my children and my wife to see me do great things?
'If anything, it crushes me. It crushes me. Why wouldn't it crush me? I'm perhaps not getting what I maybe could have got. So, it's exhausting not to be in that.
"But I'll keep trying as hard as I can. I want to be in it all. I want to be part of it all. Of course, I do because when you're not in it, you feel like a lemon.'
Wade next faces Wessel Nijman in round two in Blackpool.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
29 minutes ago
- Metro
'What is Sarina doing?' - Wright 'baffled' by Wiegman call in Euro 2025 final
Ian Wright says he 'couldn't believe' Alessia Russo was taken off after scoring against Spain and feels Sarina Wiegman was 'very fortunate' to avoid a backlash as England went on to win the Euro 2025 final on penalties. For the third match on the bounce, the Lionesses were forced to come from behind after conceding to a Mariona Caldentey header midway through the first half in Basel. Just as they had done against both Sweden and Italy, the holders dug deep and managed to wrestle the momentum back in their favour, with Russo reacting brilliantly to nod home Chloe Kelly's pinpoint cross and level in the 57th minute. The two teams could not be separated after extra-time and it was England who eventually prevailed after another nerve-jangling shootout, with Kelly scoring the decisive spot-kick to seal a famous 3-1 win over the world champions. The Lionesses' latest triumph – which came at the end of a rollercoaster campaign – marked the first time in history that an English team had won a major tournament on foreign soil. It also further cemented Wiegman's legendary status as an international head coach. The 55-year-old first lifted the trophy with the Netherlands in 2017 before steering England to back-to-back titles over the last three years. Dissecting the final on the Crossways podcast, Wright was somewhat reluctant to criticise Wiegman considering just how far England had come since she took over the reins from Phil Neville. However, the iconic ex-Arsenal striker believes there were a couple of key decisions which could easily have gone against the England boss on another day. 'I've got to say, the Russo substitution is the most baffling thing I'll ever see if she's not injured. I could not believe it,' Wright said. 'Michelle [Agyemang] came on and, obviously, she's amazing, Young Player of the Tournament, only coming off the bench and doing enough to win, that was amazing on her part. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'But I think she [Agyemang] needs Russo on there with her in this time. 'They would have caused Spain so many problems because Russo would have dropped off, she would have been in the box. 'What is Sarina doing taking her off?! What's she doing taking her off?! I couldn't believe it.' According to Wright, Wiegman has proven beyond doubt that she is a 'genius' and a 'legend' – but hauling Russo off with 20 minutes remaining made little sense in the context of the match. 'She was feeding off scraps,' Wright said of Russo. 'When you're playing in a game like that, all you're hoping for is one chance that you can try and take, which she did, and then you get a second wind. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'When she went off you could see it. She's so sweet and she's saying thank you to everybody but you can see it in her mind, she must be thinking, 'What the f***'s going on?! What are you taking me off for?!' 'In the end, she's very fortunate. She's obviously shown she's a great coach with three European Championships on the spin. That's legendary. 'But some of the decisions… you're thinking to yourself, 'If that's what you're doing on purpose because you see the outcome in your head then you are a genius!', but she is a genius with what she's done.' Wright was similarly taken aback that Wiegman opted to 'gamble' on Lauren James' fitness when she had a player of Kelly's quality raring to go the start. 'With Lauren James, it's a Euros final. If she thinks, 'You know what? If I can get something out of myself I might be able to do it', then you're going to play,' he continued. 'And I think it was a gamble that I don't think Sarina should have taken, especially when you've got Chloe there. Chloe is ready to go and she showed that when she came on. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'I thought it was strange. Again, you're talking about somebody who is obviously not fit enough. 'Then, we know that [Lauren] Hemp can come back and work back as well and help and you've got Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmati and Athenea del Castillo all on that side, that's the most attacking they can be on that side, and you've got Lauren James whose natural game is not to track back and try stop those players. 'She's half fit and it just felt like, 'Oh my gosh, what's going on?!'' More Trending Given the journey Kelly had gone on following a 'dark' time in her career at the start of the year, Wright had to fight back the tears when the Arsenal forward stepped up to convert the winning penalty. 'Who in history has had the opportunity to do that? She has won us a tournament the last kick,' he went on. 'I got emotional as well when she did it. I just had a feeling and I felt like I was going to cry. 'I was just so pleased for her and I wanted it to happen and I wanted it to happen for us a country.' Did Wiegman make a mistake bringing off Russo? For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Legendary Lioness hero 'tipped for glittering TV career' after Euros 2025 win MORE: When is the next Women's World Cup and where is it being held? MORE: Lionesses trophy parade: England celebrate historic Euro 2025 victory in London
BreakingNews.ie
30 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Bryan Mbeumo relishing chance to play with Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United
Manchester United's new signing Bryan Mbeumo says he is excited about linking up with Bruno Fernandes after completing his move to Old Trafford. Cameroon winger Mbeumo, who scored 20 goals and provided seven assists for Brentford in the Premier League last season, signed a five-year contract last week to become United's third summer signing. Advertisement When asked on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast who he was most looking forward to playing alongside, Mbeumo told the former United defender: 'Of course, Bruno. Of course, yeah. Mbeumo has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford. Photo: John Walton/PA. 'Everyone sees in the past years. He can shoot, he can cross, he can do crazy ball. Yeah, for a striker, you just enjoy that.' Mbeumo is hoping to nurture a chemistry on and off the training pitch with United's Portuguese talisman before the club launch the 2025-26 campaign at home against Arsenal on August 17. 'I think it's a little bit of everything. You earn experience from everyone. So it's always good to speak to someone like this,' Mbeumo said. Advertisement 'But at the end, I think on the pitch, when you're smart like he is, I think you don't even need to think a lot. You just need to make the run and he's going to play you in the right space every time. 'But of course, you can have a little discussion to make him know how I prefer the balls and how I'm feeling the best to have the ball. The wait is over. — Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 21, 2025 'But at a certain point, there is only one way, even if it's not the one you like, you have to do the run and he's going to put the ball in a good position.' Mbeumo's arrival at Old Trafford follows the signings of Wolves forward Matheus Cunha and Paraguay left-back Diego Leon, from Cerro Porteno. Advertisement United have recently been linked with Ollie Watkins – RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko is also a reported target – and Mbeumo described his former Brentford team-mate as the 'complete striker'. Mbeumo said of Watkins: 'I think he's really complete. He's like a complete striker. He can do a lot of things. 'He can drop with the set or going in behind. And I think this is really good for me or for a winger because you can use his space to fit in there. And he can combine as well. So, I think it's really good.'
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Chess fan Mbeumo on why Man Utd was right move for him
Bryan Mbeumo has no problem playing football in front of thousands of people - it's when you sit him in front of a piano with a couple of mates that the nerves kick in."It's funny, but it's so different," Manchester United's £65m new signing explains."Even if I play in front of a couple of friends at home, I'm not exactly shaking but it's 'oh guys, this is kind of hard for me'."Sitting in front of Mbeumo at United's team hotel in Chicago midway through their pre-season trip is to be presented with a different type of Premier League is quiet, relaxed and respectful, completely at odds with the explosive manner in which he scored 20 Premier League goals last season, which made him a primary target for United head coach Ruben Amorim as he tries to make his formation Cameroon international says he was sold on the United "project" - there were conversations with other clubs but he wanted to move to Old Trafford and, even as the drawn-out discussions continued, he never really felt the deal would collapse because he trusted the people around him to deliver the move he was the kind of standard question and answer session you expect from a new when you get the former Brentford man talking about the piano and his other great passion, chess, that is when his eyes light up. Unlike Lionesses Euros hero Michelle Agyemang, who took her piano to Switzerland and played in her room every day, Mbeumo has no great desire to widen his audience."I'm self-taught," he said. "And I'm not bad."The piano is nothing really linked to football. It just makes me take time for me and relax myself in my free time."It sounds like the perfect initiation performance in front of his new team-mates but Mbeumo is dubious."We will see," he ponders. "The thing is, I don't really like to play in front of people." Chess? It's just like football Mbeumo says he has heard Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee likes to play chess so he may take his board on United duty and challenge his team-mate to a game, but for now, most of his chess playing is done anonymously himself as Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United footballer, to his opponents probably wouldn't deliver the outcome he is looking for."I have a user name," he said. "You choose a nickname and just play against random people online. I use my own chess board against them."I'm not that crazy good. But if you know the rating, I'm like 800 on the surface, it is hard to think of something more different to football, given the intensity of thought and strategy behind each counters that. The similarities, he says, are more striking than you might clearly think so Palace and England forward Eberechi Eze won £15,000 in a four-day amateur PogChamps tournament, contested by 12 content creators and money is a side issue for players with the earning power of Eze and Mbeumo. The attraction comes from the challenge."Even if it's not physical, there is a lot of thought in chess," said Mbeumo."When you play football you have to think as well. Playing chess you can see some moves ahead because it is a strategy game. In football you have your strategy as well so you can link them together."There was one period where I was really into it."I was watching videos on YouTube and doing training on the app."It's really good for the brain and you can develop new skills."Obviously, you're doing football most of the time, every day, so you sometimes you don't really have time to develop on other skills. But I really like the creativity."Mbeumo's interest in chess expanded to watching the Golden Globe-winning mini series The Queen's Gambit. But he has yet to see the Netflix documentary on multiple world champion and world number one Magnus now, Mbeumo is concentrating on getting fit. Convinced by United 'vision' His former team Brentford were not scheduled to report back for training until a week after United's players, and so the 25-year-old stayed mainly in the gym rather than get involved in his new club's team explains why he is behind the rest of Ruben Amorim's squad in fitness terms and was not involved in Saturday's victory over West Ham at the MetLife has already said Mbeumo will also sit out Wednesday's encounter with Bournemouth in the forward may be involved in the final match of the Premier League Summer Series against Everton in Atlanta on 3 is unfazed by having to wait to make his United debut."My first aim is to make sure I'm ready for the start of the season, so I'll keep working hard," he opening-weekend encounter with Arsenal at Old Trafford is followed by a trip to United do have a good record at Craven Cottage, it is the type of test that has repeatedly proved beyond them over the past few Mbeumo's old side Brentford have proved particularly difficult opponents, winning two and drawing one of their last three meetings at the Gtech Community Stadium. Mbeumo scored in the first of those games, setting the seal on a 4-0 victory in August 2022 that proved the trigger for United's transfer window panic and resulted in them spending £155m to bring Casemiro and Antony to the club before that summer's transfer window is that profligacy United are trying to correct now, led by chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason and fellow big-name arrival Matheus Cunha at least fit into Amorim's famed 3-5-2-1 system as the two number was convinced, as was Cunha, by a vision which goes beyond the current campaign, which features no European football at all, let alone the Champions League, which was on offer from his other suitors, which included Newcastle and Tottenham, now managed by his former boss at Brentford Thomas Frank."Of course, I spoke to some others because I wanted to hear their projects but the Manchester United one was very good for me," he said."Ruben [Amorim] says 'we are people who like winning, and we want to be the best team', which is what we will try to do."I'm someone who likes a challenge. Manchester [United] are a big club. I think it's a great opportunity and I wanted to be part of it. That's why I chose the project."
