Darting legend Raymond van Barneveld has some controversial thoughts on the “double start” format at the World Grand Prix and has some high praise for the sportsmanship of fellow competitor Gary Anderson.
The Dutchman has claimed that Luke Littler can become the sports “GOAT” but will have to fend off the most competitive landscape ever to do so.
Van Barneveld also revealed how he feels about his rivalry with Phil Taylor, claims he won’t be returning to the oche and that currently a “Prime Taylor” would beat Luke Littler.
Double Start Double Difficult
Yes, they need to make it more challenging. I never understood why they still keep the Grand Prix with a double open. I never understood why. There was a tale years ago that it was because it was held in Dublin. Because of Dublin, they said double in Dublin. But that was just a fairy tale; that wasn’t true.
The game is so advanced at the moment. If I watch the Grand Prix, and I see some players open with their first dart, and the other with his seventh dart, he’s going to lose the leg.
“So it’s not exciting anymore for me to watch. Maybe in the future, they can change it, because as a tournament, I’m not a big fan of it. It gives you so much pressure on a double open, especially if your opponent hits it with the first dart, and you’ve got three darts, and you miss. You get straight a ton or 140 against you, and then you’re probably going to lose that leg.
Anderson’s Sportsmanship to Callan Rydz
That was a really classy thing to do. Gary is a likeable player. He’s world-class still, even in his 50s. He can still win Pro Tours. Every year now, he wins a Euro Tour. I don’t think Gary likes to travel a lot, and that’s a decision you make yourself.
Sometimes I think, okay, you can play every Saturday night on the Euro Tour, and you don’t want to come, or you give your place to someone else. And then he shows up in the Pro Tours, when you’ve got nothing in the first round if you get beat.
I think he likes to play in England, or around England, not so much overseas. That’s his decision, but where he shows up, he’s still quality. Last time I saw him in Hildesheim, he went to the semi-finals again, after a break of maybe five or six weeks. He’s a very likeable man, everyone likes him, and you always have fun with him. He’s a good guy.
Littler Can Be The GOAT
Littler can become the greatest darts player ever, but it all depends, money-wise. Look at what Taylor did for the sport, what Michael is still doing for the sport. They made millions, both.
You never know. Littler is 18 years of age at the moment, so maybe if he gets five or ten million in the bank, maybe he packs in and says, “I have had enough, I don’t want to travel all the time anymore, and he just does the things he wants to do. Maybe he invests his money in good things and slows down within 10 years.
At the moment, he’s lifting off, winning so much prize money, apart from sponsors and exhibition money. If he is clever and wise, he will invest his money in good things, and within 10–15 years, maybe he will give up.
When I started, the money was not that great. You had to win six or seven matches in tournaments in Holland, and you won £50. That all changed. Now, if you win one round in a Pro Tour, you get £1,000, and next year it will be £1,250. But that doesn’t give you a big jump on the rankings. That’s why you always need to be there every single week. It’s still good money, but 63 other players around you also won the first round, so you’re not making progress.
Darting Depth
I don’t think Humphries is unlucky because he’s still winning tournaments. He just beat Luke Littler, and he’s beat him quite often. I think both of them, Michael, those three are very good.
But even Gerwyn Price at the moment is world-class. Everyone can beat each other, but it’s all moments. Michael is never booed whenever he comes. People always cheer him on, and that’s a pro thing for him. With Littler, it’s a bit different. They boo him, or they whistle. Humphries is also likeable. He didn’t have the attention like Littler, but he’s an amazing player.
He won the Prague event last week again. Unfortunately, he lost to Van Gerwen, but Michael played out of his skin, fantastic. Humphries will come back. He’s still the world number one.
Sometimes you have other players. I had to deal with Phil Taylor and Van Gerwen. There was always someone above me who was better. So maybe you feel more sorry for me than Luke Humphries!
van Barneveld vs Taylor
It was a great rivalry, like the biggest football games in England: Manchester United vs Liverpool or Manchester United vs Manchester City.
You can say it’s like the two biggest football teams in England playing each other on the dartboard. After that, it was Taylor versus Michael, Michael versus me, and maybe now it’s Littler and Michael.
You always wanted to beat the opponent. Now, with the Premier League in this setup, I think they play each other too much. You want to see that Michael is playing Luke Littler in four weeks’ time, not every single Thursday. I think people will get bored because of that. That’s my opinion. But in the end, the crowd is still coming and showing up, so it’s good. For tickets, it’s brilliant.
“High Hopes” For Gian van Veen
At the moment, I have high hopes for Gian van Veen. He is the current World Youth Champion. The year before, he got beat by Luke Littler, and he’s making huge steps.
Gian is a likeable kid as well, he’s clever. His game is fantastic. Many times on the Euro Tour, he reaches the Sundays, and he goes high in the rankings. I could see him soon in the top 16 in the world. From that moment, you need to progress, of course. You need to do really well in the majors; that’s where the money is.
Imagine if you had a good run in the Worlds. If you win £1million, you’re straight in the top three. So why not? Apart from him, Josh Rock maybe. He can do this. But there are so many great players, Wessel Nijman, maybe in the future, maybe some names in Belgium. And you still have all the players who have been around for years. Everyone can do it. Everyone can beat each other.
Sometimes I see results, and I’m thinking, wow, he’s beating him, and I never thought that could happen. Van Veen beat Gerwyn Price 6–0 on the Euro Tour last week. 6–0, and Gerwyn Price was averaging 104, not winning a leg. So how are you going to sit in your hotel room later and think, what on earth did I do wrong?
The standard is so high, and it’s almost impossible to jump in unprepared. You can’t leave your house and think, I’m going to do this quite easily. Everyone can beat each other.
Taylor Won’t Be Back
No, I don't think Phil Taylor will return. I speak to Phil quite regularly, so we chat sometimes, and he's got a really bad knee. You can't compare them both. Phil was such a hard hitter in scores and finishing.
He was always the man to beat. I like to see a fast and quick thrower like Michael, Littler, Humphries, Anderson and myself. Phil was always slow, and because of his game, he was slowing other players down. Maybe because of that, they didn't get into their rhythm.
But what this man won, what can you do? It's so hard to beat what this man built and did for our sport. The rivalry at the moment, I will say, is Littler–Humphries, Littler–Van Gerwen. Not many more rivalries than that.
Prime Taylor Beats Littler
I admire Phil Taylor more; he was so, so impressive. The night he hit the two nine-darters, that was insane. But now I’m sitting on the couch with my wife, and we’re watching this young kid, 18 years of age. How unbelievable it is for a kid. Already, for the last two years, when he turned up at 16, he was beating everyone in the world apart from Luke Humphries in the world final.
Then one year later, he won it all. He won the Premier League, runner-up in the Premier League. It’s unbelievably good that a guy from 16, 17, or 18 years of age can do this every single week, and I have a lot of respect for that.
Sometimes you wonder, what is your diet? What are you eating? I want the same. But he’s relaxed. If you see him in the back, he’s always on his phone playing games. You never see him in trouble. Everything still goes well for him. But I’m very curious, every player has his worst moments, and maybe those will come, and we’ll see how he gets out of that.
“But in their primes, I still think Taylor wins. Because Luke likes to play in a certain rhythm, and Phil always controlled the pace himself. I don’t think many players played their A-game against him, not many. Apart from Van Gerwen, maybe Anderson or Rob Cross when he beat Phil in the final, maybe me. I think Phil in his prime and Luke in his prime, it’s so hard to compare, but I’d still say Phil Taylor.
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