Michael Smith furiously called a fellow PDC star a ‘horrible player’ as the former world champion showed the extent of his painful injury
Michael Smith furiously slammed a fellow darts pro a ‘horrible player’ following his European Tour qualifier defeat.
The 2023 world champion is looking for the turning point in his career but all that came today was more agony after he was beaten 6-3 by Mickey Mansell on Wednesday. Smith attempted to qualify for the Poland Darts Open on the weekend of February 20-22 but missed out at the final hurdle.
‘Bully Boy’ travelled to the qualifiers in Hildesheim after two days of action in the Players Championship series. And it appears the schedule his damaging the former world No.1’s health.
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Following the defeat, Smith slammed the slow play of the ‘Clonoe Cyclone’, insisting it shouldn’t take 15 seconds between throws to retrieve his darts. The speed of the two players couldn’t be any different, with Smith one of the quickest and most fluent players on the Tour when on top form.
Smith took to Facebook to criticise Mansell before deleting the post soon after. Following the loss, the St Helens dartist withdrew from the subsequent European Tour 2 qualifier.
“Imagine doing that to win a game. Tinkerbell won’t come along and move your darts for you. No need stand looking at the board for 15 seconds. Horrible mentality. And horrible player,” Smith wrote.
Mansell has since replied to Smith’s vent, rubbing salt in the wounds by saying: “Shoulda been a boxer!! Knocked one man outta 2 tournaments”.
Smith also showed the extent of the ankle problem he is dealing with, taking a picture of the swelling before explaining the difficulties he faces when flying abroad to play in the European events. He also used his agony to justify his outburst at Mansell.
Bully Boy wrote: “Just want to show what happens now when I travel and what the pressure of the plane does to me. It’s not sympathy or anything it’s just annoying because I put myself through this to play the sport I love and just infuriates me, I have to deal with tactics like that.
“It shouldn’t bother me but it does because it makes me questions myself why do I bother to put up with the pain and suffering to please everyone else over my health.
“This was Sunday night just after I landed. And this what I have to deal with now for no doubt rest of my life. And I know flying tomorrow, it will be bad again for another few days before it settles again. But please Ignore my trotters by the way.”
Smith has previously spoken about playing through the pain barrier, especially in his ankles and wrist. The 35-year-old revealed he has had an excessive extra bone growing in his ankle.
“I’m still using the ankle support but I had all my injections last Thursday,” Smith said before the World Championship in December. “I had cortisone in my ankle joints, my wrist, but had to pass up on the shoulder because I’m only allowed one shot a week.
“I had to sign another waiver so I could have two and last time it made me deaf so I wasn’t having three in one day but everything seems to be sound. I’m walking fine now so it should be all right.”