'I need to change - I look miserable' — But Raymond van Barneveld refuses to retire again

Manchester recently formed the backdrop for the annual Target Darts product launch, where the biggest names in the sport were in attendance. Raymond van Barneveld was one of the headline stars for the popular darts manufacturer. The five-time world champion may be 58 years old, but his ambition remains undimmed.

Van Barneveld looked visibly impressed as he took in the heart of Manchester. “This is another level. I was overwhelmed by everything — the pop-up shop downstairs and then up here with all the best players in the world and all the new stuff… it looks amazing,” he told Online Darts.

When he first started, darts were simply darts. Now barrels are cut with intricate milling and innovative coatings. His own new dart, presented during the event, he described as a work of art. “Especially the packaging does a lot. The box is really nice, the cover is brilliant. The dart itself we developed with my coach Tim and with Target, and the new K-Flex flights. I’m really happy with it.” Still, the Dutchman remains critical. “Maybe not with the K-Flex just yet. I’m trying short stems at the moment, but they deflect a lot and cause bounce-outs. I need to work on that. So this weekend in Budapest, probably still the same dart but with a traditional flight and shaft.”

Chasing perfection

It is typical of a player who has already won everything but never stops striving. “You have to keep searching, because the standard is insane right now. Look at Michael van Gerwen last week — where did that come from? I know I can play. Against Gerwyn Price I threw a wonderful game and still lost 6–4. That means I need to work harder than ever.”

The search for the right set-up is nothing new for him. With short stems, he previously reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam and in Bahrain. “So maybe I’ll give that another chance. Anything to make that small difference.”

Anyone who thinks Van Barneveld is edging towards retirement is mistaken. “If I didn’t believe I could still do it, I’d give up. The ProTour isn’t really my thing — it’s too early for me — but on the Euro Tour I feel better. Players nowadays are all fantastic; it doesn’t matter who you play, everyone can beat everyone. But I can also beat them. I just need to work harder: maybe more in the gym, more walking, meditating… I need to find a way to get myself back. But I still believe I can do something good.”

So a farewell is not on the horizon. “No, not for the next two or three years.”

The mental side, however, is tough. “I need to change. I know I sometimes look miserable on stage, I hear that a lot. But people don’t see what’s behind it. At home I practise four or five hours a day, then three more at tournaments, and sometimes you lose 6–1. How do you handle that? Nobody can tell you why you miss three darts at a double — you never get the answer. And when players face me, they know what to do to beat me, and they always seem to do the right thing. That’s mentally tough.”