Peter Manley is looking forward to renewing his rivalry with Phil Taylor when the darts legends lock horns at the World Seniors Matchplay.
Taylor opened his campaign at Hull’s Bonus Arena on Friday with an 8-4 win over Deta Hedman while Manley edged out former world champion John Part 11-10 on Saturday to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Taylor and Manley were bitter rivals at the start of the century and although The Power generally came out on top, Manley, a player renowned for his mind games, certainly managed to get under his skin. The pair get on well nowadays but their friendship will be put to one side when they lock horns in the last eight of the competition.
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“He’s going to have it tomorrow,” Manley told Online Darts TV a fter his win over Part, before quipping: “Who am I playing?”
When reminded Taylor was up next for him, Manley added: “He’s threatened to hit me over the head with a shovel, hasn’t he? I was around the pool and this guy comes up [and says] ‘Taylor wants to hit you around the head with a shovel’. I don’t think he could lift it now.
“Tomorrow, I won’t like him again, then the next day I’ll think the world of him.”
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On his game in general, Manley spoke of the challenges facing players on the recently-formed World Seniors Tour.
“I’ve still got capabilities,” said the three-time World Championship runner-up. “I’m still there, the bottle is still there, it’s just a case of work, and I don’t work at it now. I’m 60 now. As Phil said yesterday, your hips go, your eyes go, and we all start getting problems.
“That’s what we’ve got to put up with, with going on the stage as well as trying to perform at the level we did. I don’t play for six hours a day like I used.”
He then jokingly added: “I hate the game, I just play it so I don’t have to wash up!”
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