JONNY Clayton has dismissed James Wade’s claim that he is the “second-best darts player” of all time, claiming only Michael van Gerwen can compete with Phil Taylor.
The 2021 Premier League champion, who has just claimed the Swiss Darts Trophy, praised Wade’s career and expressed his disbelief at how the Machine has never won a World Championship, but claimed that both Taylor and Van Gerwyn, not Wade, “are the best two players that have lived so far.”
In a conversation with AskGamblers Clayton was reminded that James Wade recently dubbed himself the second-best darts player of all time at his Grand Prix press conference, behind the recently returned Phil Taylor. The Welshman responded:
I think James Wade is a fantastic player. I always think how has he not lifted more, and how he’s never been a world champion, I don’t know. Because he really is that good!
“I think it’s a big call, saying he’s the second-best darts player, especially when you’ve got MVG (Michael van Gerwen). MVG’s trophy cabinet says it all, it speaks volumes.
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“So, no, to be honest. I think James is a fantastic player. I get on really well with James. I really do. I think he’s one funny guy, and in a player’s respect, he’s fantastic.
“How James has not been world champion, I’ll never know, but to say that he’s the second-best in the world of darts, that’s a big call. But that’s just the opinions of other people, isn’t it?”
The Darts’ GOAT Debate
Clayton, who recently confirmed his qualification for the upcoming Grand Slam of Darts also passed an opinion on who might be in that truly top eschelon of darts:
“I think Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen are totally different players. Phil’s cabinet will never be beaten. His trophy cabinet will always stay the most full. I say that because the money in darts now is so big, I don’t think players will be around long enough to play that amount of tournaments.
But Phil Taylor was fantastic. He is the GOAT, but I think MVG is on par because they were different players. Where Phil was very regimented, he had his patterns on the dartboard, and he would stick to that, whereas Michael would use a lot more of the dartboard.
Michael used different numbers throughout shots, and he was fantastic at them all. And now you’ve got Luke Littler coming along who can do everything, so I think Luke Littler could play blindfolded and still be just as good.
“It’s just Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, who to me, are the best two players that have lived so far, but they are now being chased by Luke Littler, who is fantastic!”
There are few who would disagree with Jonny’s selection of these three being in the discussion of darts’ GOAT for many years to come.
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Jonny was speaking to AskGamblers in the lead up to the European Darts Championship
Images: PDC
