PHIL TAYLOR admits that overhauling Michael van Gerwen has become his new target, after losing to the Dutch ace in last week's McCoy's Premier League Darts final.
Van Gerwen took Taylor's Premier League Darts title with a thrilling 10-8 win at The O2 in London - capping a superb debut season from the Dutchman, who also topped the league table as the first player other than the Stoke legend to do so.
Van Gerwen gained revenge for his loss to Taylor in January's World Championship final by taking a draw and a victory from their league meetings, before capping a brilliant display in the final with a 132 checkout to snatch Taylor's Premier League crown.
"Michael's brilliant and that 132 was quality," said Taylor, who famously took out the same finish to win the 2008 World Matchplay final.
"Me and Michael are going to have a lot of battles and he's my next adversary; the next Raymond van Barneveld.
"All my career, I've had people come along and beat me, and knock me off my pedestal. Michael's knocked me off my pedestal and I've got to get back up and I've got to knock him off now, and that's what I'll be after.
"Michael's my target - not Barney, not Dennis Priestley, not Eric Bristow, not Jocky Wilson. It's Michael van Gerwen, and that's the one I'm after.
"Phil's got to reinvent himself and beat Michael, and that's my main aim now. He's my target.
"I think Michael now has got the biggest target on his back ever, because I think every dart player in the world is after him - but the worst one is me. I'm after him.
"I'm going to try my socks off now to put it right, and I will. My form is picking up. I don't think I've ever worked as hard in my career, but that's a credit to the other players."
Taylor could meet van Gerwen again this week in the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters, and is relishing the chance to play in the Middle East for the first time.
"I went out to Dubai in January for the launch and it's very different," added Taylor.
"It will be very warm and it's being held outdoors at the tennis centre, and I'm quite looking forward to it because I don't mind the heat - but I know some of these players are going to be sweating a little bit!"
The Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters is the first of a planned World Series of events being staged by the PDC, and Taylor is delighted to see the global growth of professional darts.
"It's fantastic," said the 52-year-old. "From playing in a little backstreet club in Burslem when I first started, to now playing in Dubai is a massive stepping stone.
"We're looking at doing other World Series events too, which is fantastic. Never in a million years did I think darts would take off like this.
"I thought if we got the right promoter, then it could take off and be maybe as big as it was in the 80s, but I never thought we'd go past that. It's massive, it's a global sport now.
"We're looking at landing on Mars and I think if they do that, Barry Hearn will look to put a tournament on there!"