'That alone won’t save you anymore': Michael van Gerwen won't come back to his old level without huge change says Van der Voort

In the latest episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast, Damien Vlottes and Vincent van der Voort offered a frank assessment of Michael van Gerwen’s current form. Once the undisputed number one in world darts, Van Gerwen’s dominance is now under increasing threat, with Antwerp providing the latest evidence as he slumped to a one-sided defeat against compatriot Gian van Veen.

“He really sank heavily through the lower limit,” Van der Voort reflected. “Scoring just 90, while on the Pro Tour he still averaged 122 in a match. That contrast – sometimes very high peaks, but too often mediocrity – worries him.”

According to Van der Voort, the issue stems from a lack of structured practice. “There is no athlete who becomes the best in the world without training. If he wants to keep connection with the top, a lot really has to happen.”

Vlottes echoed those concerns, highlighting Van Gerwen’s technique as another red flag. “His throw is not smooth. It was really work,” he said after the Van Veen defeat. “And as long as he doesn’t keep practicing structurally, I don’t see him coming back to his old level.”

The pair also pointed to off-the-oche struggles, with Van Gerwen currently going through a divorce. Van der Voort showed empathy for his friend: “That is of course very difficult, something like that cuts into it.” But he quickly underlined the demands of elite sport: “Top sport requires focus and discipline, even in difficult times.”

Vlottes agreed, but was quick to add: “It may explain why he looks less sharp, but that should not be an excuse to stop training altogether.”

Meanwhile, the competition is surging ahead. Where Van Gerwen once brushed aside rivals with ease, he now has to contend with the relentless hunger of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries. “You see in those young guys that they are working every day, hungry,” Van der Voort observed. “Michael relies too much on his talent and experience. But that alone won’t save you anymore.”

The criticism carries extra weight coming from Van der Voort, one of Van Gerwen’s closest friends. But he made it clear the three-time world champion must take ownership. “It’s his career. He has to decide for himself what he does with it. But if he wants to become the best again, he has to work on it every day. Otherwise it won’t work out.”

And for now, consistency remains the sticking point. “He used to get a 105 average in his sleep,” Van der Voort concluded. “Now he has to work really hard for that. And he simply doesn’t do that enough.”