Rod's top hot shots
Friday 17 December 2010 10:09, UK
We asked Rod Harrington to name six hot young players to watch at Ally Pally - and he gave us eight!
Which rising stars could make an impact in 2011?
It's an exciting time in the world of darts as more and more new names start to challenge at the top. But which emerging talent is most likely to trouble the established names at this year's World Championship at Alexandra Palace? We asked Sky Sports darts expert Rod Harrington to name six young guns to keep an eye on - but there is so much new blood coming through the ranks that he could not settle on fewer than eight. So read on for Rod's rising stars - and don't forget to tune in to the 2011 World Darts Championship, live on Sky Sports until January 3.Paul Nicholson
He's a boo boy for the fans and he doesn't mind the jeers. He beat Phil Taylor at the Circus Tavern in the early part of the year and then went on and won the tournament. Not many people have done that, often someone beats Phil and then loses in the next round. On his day, Nicholson is a great player, but lately he has doubted himself and missed a few doubles. His scoring power is great, but he puts himself under pressure with his doubles. I thought he would do better after beating Taylor, so that's a bit disappointing, but he could step up to the plate in this tournament.
Antonio Alcinas
This is the Spanish player who played so well in the World Cup. He's got James Wade in the first round at Alexandra Palace and it would be perfect for the game if he could go on and do well. My wife rang the other day and told me: "That young Spanish kid is a very attractive young man". I know I go over the top about how I want to portray the sport, but if you want longevity you have to look at every aspect. He beat Wade 6-3 in Germany earlier this year and although I don't think there will be an upset it will be a very close game. And if he beats Wade, you never know what this young man can do.Wes Newton
He has been playing extremely well lately. He has been winning tour events and has been getting to quarter finals and semi finals all the time. He has had good runs in big events such as the Grand Prix and if he carries on improving like he is then we'll see a different Wes Newton that's for sure.Steve Brown
He's started to play well. He's a great advertisement for the game, but perhaps needs to step up another notch before he starts making semi-finals and finals. It would be great for the game if he went on and did well.Jelle Klaasen
He's an ex Lakeside World Champion and when he's on form, boy can he throw darts. Quick throwers - like Klaasen, Lewis, Van Gerwen or Van der Voort - tend to miss crucial doubles because of their speed. That is what costs them games, but this young Dutch player is a class act when he's in the groove.
Michael Van Gerwen
I watched him playing about four or five years ago in Holland and I thought I was watching the new Phil Taylor. There was no question in my mind about that. Unfortunately, he hasn't lived up to the expectations but he is still a brilliant player. When he loses a game he never gets thrashed - you won't see him lose 6-1 or 6-2 - often he misses a few doubles in the early part of the game and then gets nicked.Adrian Lewis
He's been in the game a long time but I'm still going to mention him because he is a young man. Adrian Lewis has got world champion written all over him because of his ability. He should have already won a TV event by now, but sometimes he thinks it's just going to happen, instead of making it happen. Sometimes when you're not playing at the top of your game you need to grind a result out, but he ends up losing those games because he wants to be the showman all the time. There are signs he is learning all aspects of the game and his scoring is a threat to anybody. He will probably win a tournament very easily one day, but he needs to learn to concentrate on throwing darts rather than flicking them in.
