January 8th 2025.
Mike De Decker was disappointed to learn that he did not make the cut for this year's Premier League Darts. He expressed his frustration at being left out and even went on to say that two players in the final line-up did not deserve to be there.
De Decker had a breakthrough year in 2019, winning his first major title at the World Grand Prix after defeating Luke Humphries in a thrilling match. He climbed up to World No.24 but unfortunately, his performance at the recent World Championships was not up to his usual standard, resulting in an early exit from the tournament.
Despite his success in other big tournaments, such as the European Championships, De Decker was not selected for this year's Premier League, which was announced earlier in the week. PDC chief executive Matt Porter acknowledged De Decker's talent but felt that he was not quite ready for the elite level just yet.
"You have to consistently perform well in televised tournaments, not just once but over multiple years, to be considered part of the elite," Porter explained in an interview with Sky Sports.
Despite winning a major title at the World Grand Prix in October, De Decker became the first player in the Premier League's 20-year history to be left out of the final line-up. He was understandably angry and spoke out against the decision in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.
"I find their decision a bit scandalous and I don't think their explanation was fair," De Decker stated. "After my Grand Prix victory, I said that I might not be ready for the Premier League and I stand by that. However, I have shown in other tournaments that I can compete with the best players in the world. It's a shame that my performance at the World Championships didn't reflect that."
De Decker was particularly critical of the inclusion of Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall in the final line-up. Both players had a strong run at the World Championships, reaching the quarter-finals, but De Decker felt that their overall performance in the past 12 months did not warrant their selection.
"They didn't deserve it," De Decker argued. "They suddenly have a good run at the World Championships and they're in. Aspinall is there for his flashy walk-on and if Price doesn't perform well in the first few weeks, he'll start complaining again. It's supposed to be based on results, but it seems like that's not the case."
Despite his disappointment, De Decker is determined to use this as motivation to prove his worth and secure a spot in next year's Premier League. "I want to dominate this year," he declared. "I'm not saying I'll win everything like Humphries did when he was left out of the Premier League, but I'll give it my all."
The Premier League Darts begins on February 6 in Belfast, with defending champion Luke Littler and the top four players in the world, including Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, and Rob Cross, competing alongside four additional players chosen by the PDC, including Stephen Bunting, Chris Dobey, Aspinall, and Price.
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