Perhaps he was a tad fatigued after his 4-2 win over 13th seed Kim Huybrechts at the World Darts Championship, but 16-time world champion Phil 'The Power' Taylor threw a bit of a strop live on Sky Sports last night.
The British broadcaster's obligatory, "Apologies for the language, there", had to be rolled out once more during Taylor's interview with Sky pundit Wayne Mardle, who asked him about his previous opponent, Kevin Painter.
Taylor took exception to the line of questioning, and told Mardle - who himself has played against Painter previously:
Kevin is hard work. He talks a lot, he does whatever Kevin does. I'm not going to dwell on it. Kevin Painter is Kevin Painter.
Of all people, you shouldn't ask me a question like that, because you're going to put me in the shitter. I've got to say that, because you have. You know what Kevin Painter is like.
I'm going to answer you because... You're taking the mick out me. You know what he does, you know about his antics. Whether he says he does or he doesn't. [But] it didn't put me off. I won. I won 4-0.
Taylor then arrived in the media area for his post-match press conference – with Mardle in the same room. Within earshot, he continued to criticise the former professional darts pro, saying:
He's asking me something that he already knows. Why ask a question about Kevin when I've just played Kim Huybrechts? I think that's totally wrong.
Let's say Manchester United played Chelsea. Would you go to Jose Mourinho, 'You've just beat Chelsea, but last match you played Leicester...' You wouldn't, so why bother?
Do you know what I mean? You're asking questions that you shouldn't be asking. Does that make sense?
You've just beat Mike Tyson, you're Lennox Lewis. 'Well the last match you beat such and such...' They would be like, 'What the eff are you going on about here?' It doesn't make sense. It threw me.
Taylor will face Raymond van Barneveld in the quarter-finals as he bids to win his 17th World Championship.
[Media area quotes via Mail]
