Thursday 21 February 2019 12:41, UK
The Premier League Darts ‘contenders’ must be given a chance to earn a place in future years of the tournament, says Colin Lloyd.
Gary Anderson's withdrawal due to injury paved the way for nine players to step into one match each - Chris Dobey, Glen Durrant, Steve Lennon, Luke Humphries, John Henderson, Nathan Aspinall, Max Hopp, Dimitri Van den Bergh and Jeffrey de Zwaan got the call.
The nine 'contenders' will not feature in the Premier League table but are able to take points off the other mainstays of the competition. For example tonight, live on Sky Sports at 7pm, Lennon makes his sole appearance against Peter 'Snakebite' Wright.
"I think it's great to take a risk. But don't do it as a one-off. Don't make this the only year," Lloyd told The Darts Show podcast.
"Next year if someone doesn't cut the mustard maybe some of these guys will be there again.
"You can't just say after one year: 'that didn't work so shelve it'.
"Let's just relish it, support. See how it goes. Have a discussion at the end.
"If it works out that the contenders have been significantly thrashed at the end then I have to reverse [my opinion]."
Lloyd believes this Premier League season can act as a springboard for the 'contenders' to make themselves a more permanent fixture in major events.
Suggesting the World Series of Darts, he said: "A few of them could go to Japan or Australia or Vegas. They will be taken out of their comfort zone of being in the British Isles or Europe."
Asked which other players he would have liked to have seen as a 'contender', Lloyd replied: "I would have tried to have squeezed in Joe Cullen, who has shown enough to have deserved an opportunity."
The Premier League heads to the 3Arena in Dublin on Thursday, February 21. You can also stay up to date with all the action by following us@SkySportsDarts and get all the latest news, previews and interviewswww.skysports.com/darts
