GARY ANDERSON’S manager Tommy Gilmour believes his oche ace has got magic quality like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Scottish promoting legend Gilmour met the Manchester United icon Ibra at a recent boxing event.

Now Gilmour believes that, like the Swede, Anderson can strike fear into his rivals for rest of the year.

Anderson lines-up for the next two crucial events Unibet World Grand Prix in Dublin starting this Sunday and then bids for his first major title win on home soil at the Ladbrokes World Series in Braehead on November 5/6.

Gilmour revealed: “It was good to meet Zlatan. What a down to earth guy, nothing like the arrogant portrayal of him.

“I’ve worked with great sportsmen down the years and the guys with the star quality are always the honest ones, the hard workers.

“Gary is totally in that mould. He’s just a normal guy off the oche, he likes the simple things in life.

“But give him a set of darts and he comes alive. Same as Zlatan with a football or so many boxers I’ve worked with. Put them in a ring and they are a different beast.

“Gary has his ups and downs but I never worry. He’s got to a very comfortable stage in his career where he knows how to pull it out of the bag.

“He won’t always win and this year has been tough at times. But he has set his heart on winning the World Series at Braehead.

“That’s why he’s done so well in the World Series rounds all round the world, he’s totally motivated.

“Likewise he’ll want to start getting in the right form and pacing himself from the Grand Prix next week right through to the World Championships.

“The season starts here for Gary really. He warmed up quite well in the Champions League after a three-week break. He gave Michael van Gerwen a match with very little preparation.

“But now the serious stuff starts. Gary is hungry for success and he’ll want to get great results in Dublin and Braehead before the defence of his world title.”

Anderson won three of the opening four World Series rounds in Dubai, Shanghai and Tokyo. But World No1 van Gerwen’s last victory in Perth, Australia put him six points clear at the top of the Series rankings with one round to go.

Gilmour added: “Gary’s perhaps made life a bit harder for himself by not going into the World Series finals at the top of rankings, he’s slipped below Michael. But whatever happened, he needed to get to Glasgow and then to win the event anyway. So nothing’s changed.

“It’s going to be a fascinating weekend because the atmosphere at Braehead will be sensational.

“Gary always admits that playing in front of a home crowd is like nothing else he will ever experience. The passion is just out of this world and he will respond to that.

“He used to have difficulty dealing with the expectation and not wanting to let down the Dartan Army. But now he’s a much wiser player and he will relish performing in front of the loud and proud fans.”

Tickets for the Ladbrokes World Series of Darts Finals are available now from the Braehead Arena Box Office by calling 0844 499 1700 or online via www.ticketmaster.co.uk.