Peter Manley under fire for 'arrogant' Interview: 'He’s clearly not there for the players' says Vincent van der Voort

A recent interview with Peter Manley has sparked outrage among professional darts players and fans alike. Manley, a former three-time World Championship finalist and now chairman of the PDPA (the players’ association within the PDC), made controversial remarks criticising what he described as “moaning players”.

His comments, suggesting that today’s professionals complain too much and should stop moaning, have been widely condemned – both within the sport and across social media. Many current players reportedly felt blindsided by Manley’s tone and message.

The interview became a major talking point on the popular Darts Draait Door podcast, where Dutch darts stalwart Vincent van der Voort didn’t hold back in his response.

“One thing’s clear after that interview: he’s not there for the players,” Van der Voort said bluntly.

Van der Voort took particular issue with Manley’s suggestion that players today should stop complaining because things “weren’t perfect in the old days either.”

“The arrogance was dripping off him,” Van der Voort continued. “The last thing a player wants to hear is someone banging on about how things used to be. We’re dealing with today. The sport has changed. I’m honestly glad I’m not a player anymore, because I’d have been absolutely furious if someone in his position said those things.”

For Van der Voort, the heart of the issue is what the PDPA is supposed to stand for – representing the interests of the players, especially in public. “Players want to hear their representative standing up for them in interviews – saying how they’re going to improve conditions. Instead, you’ve got Manley telling them not to complain. As a player, that’s just awful to hear. It’s disgustingly arrogant. And it simply doesn’t work.”

According to Van der Voort, his son Kevin – also active in darts – told him the backlash to Manley’s remarks is widespread throughout the circuit. The criticism isn’t just personal – it’s shared by many players. “They’re completely out of touch with what today’s players are thinking,” he said. “He keeps comparing everything to how it used to be.”

Van der Voort acknowledged that top players in the Order of Merit probably won’t feel the effects as much, but stressed that it’s the rest of the tour who are being let down. “He should be fighting for the guys ranked 41 to 128 in the world. They’re the ones who need someone in their corner. Those players want to know he’s working flat out to fix things for them.”

He concluded with a scathing assessment of Manley’s performance: “It was such a bad interview – honestly, terrible. It makes you think: what kind of charlatan is this?”