Gary Anderson labels the new generation boring “Youngsters are boring. Absolutely boring.”
Gary Anderson labels the new generation boring “Youngsters are boring. Absolutely boring.”
Gary Anderson made a winning return to the Winter Gardens on Sunday night – but it was his vintage post-match interview that truly stole the show.
The two-time World Champion rolled back the years with a 10–7 victory in his opening round match, showcasing flashes of the class that made him one of the sport’s most feared names. But while his performance on the oche impressed, it was his no-holds-barred comments afterwards that lit up the press room.
Speaking with his trademark candour, Anderson criticised the changing culture in professional darts, taking aim at the younger generation of players who he believes lack the camaraderie and character of years gone by.
“Youngsters are boring. Absolutely boring,” Anderson said. “You try to have a chat, but they’re too busy glued to their phones with their bloody earphones in. Nobody talks anymore. It’s like a completely different world.”
Anderson, 53, reminisced about his early days on tour, where laughs and banter were just as essential as treble 20s and checkout percentages. The contrast to today’s atmosphere, he says, couldn’t be starker.
“I was sitting there the other day thinking about the old crew – Ian White, Adrian Lewis, Phil Taylor, Kevin Painter. We’d sit around and have a right good laugh,” he recalled. “Now? Nothing. I’d rather sit in silence. There’s no banter. No fun. And that’s a shame. You need to enjoy what you do in life, whether you’re on a building site or in an office – or playing darts.”
Gary Anderson labels the new generation boring “Youngsters are boring. Absolutely boring.”
While acknowledging the increased professionalism of the modern era, Anderson believes it’s come at a cost.
“These young lads have realised there’s serious money to be made now – buy a house, buy another one. They’re serious. And fair play. But they’ve also got to remember: this is a job. Not your life. They need to enjoy it too.”
Despite voicing his frustrations, Anderson showed he’s still more than capable of doing damage on stage. His average of just under 98 and clinical finishing saw him navigate a tricky first-round tie, though he admitted the performance came with challenges – particularly as he switched between two sets of darts mid-match.
“I started with the long darts – they were flying sideways. Switched to the short darts – same thing,” he said with a grin. “In the end, I just went back to the first ones. It was only in the last five legs that things started to click.”
Anderson revealed he’s experimenting with new setups, including 52mm points – a significant change that he’s still adjusting to.
“Somebody handed me a set and said, ‘Try these.’ I gave them a go in Leicester and figured, why not give them a proper run-out? I try new things in competition, because that’s the best place to really test them.”
He also lifted the lid on his frustrations at the second break in his match – particularly as his form in practice hadn’t translated onto the main stage.
“I’d love to tell you what I said to myself, but I’d get into trouble,” he joked. “The darts were going lovely in the practice room. Upstairs, downstairs – couldn’t miss. But up there on stage, they were angling right. It was driving me mad.”
Away from the board, Anderson says he’s juggling multiple priorities and struggles to devote the time to darts that others can.
“People always say, ‘Just practise more,’ but come live with me and see what life’s like,” he said. “I’ve got other things going on. Darts isn’t at the top right now. If someone wants to pay me big money to sit and practise all day, I’ll show them what I can really do.”
Despite showing glimpses of top form and hinting at impressive numbers in private, Anderson remains grounded when asked about his chances of lifting the title again.
“This is the World Matchplay – it’s right up there. For me, it’s the second biggest after the Worlds. Premier League’s a different kind of thing. But I take it one game at a time. No, I’m not that confident,” he admitted.
With trademark honesty and old-school grit, Anderson may not be part of darts’ new generation – but he remains one of its most compelling and enduring figures. And as long as he keeps winning, the sport won’t be able to ignore him.
