Mike De Decker angrily tells two PDC Premier League stars 'you didn't deserve it' after snub
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Mike De Decker told two darts stars they don't deserve to be in the Premier League as he fumed over his controversial omission. The Belgian was one of the high-profile omissions as the PDC confirmed the eight-player line-up, with wildcards Stephen Bunting, Chris Dobey, Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall joining automatic picks Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Rob Cross. De Decker put himself in contention by winning the World Grand Prix, one of the sport’s biggest majors, last year, beating world number one Humphries in the final.
However, he becomes the first reigning Grand Prix champion not to be selected for the Premier League, with his first-round exit at the World Championship not helping his case. The Real Deal hasn’t taken the snub lying down, calling the decision “scandalous”.
“My first feeling immediately after the announcement was one of disbelief,” he told Nieuwsblad. “The past 20 years, the Grand Prix winner was there every time. I clean up that game there, but I am skipped. That is sour. Of course, I can't change anything about it, the PDC is boss. But I think their decision, to be honest, is a bit scandalous.”.
De Decker also took aim at two of the wildcard picks, Price and Aspinall, who both endured poor 2024s. He highlighted Price’s previous criticism of the Premier League and brought up Aspinall’s struggles with dartitis (a psychological condition that stops players from letting go of the dart). He also said Aspinall had been picked for “entertainment” reasons due to his popular walk-on track, Mr Brightside by The Killers.
