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Raymond van Barneveld warns World Darts Championship poster boys he will do some damage
Raymond van Barneveld knows he’s no longer the poster boy of the Ally Pally.
But the Dutch legend has warned the young guns he can still inflict big damage on the likes of world No.1 Luke Humphries at the Paddy Power World Championships. Van Barneveld is returning back to the stage where he won one of the greatest Finals of the lot when sinking Phil Taylor in their 2007 epic.
With four BDO titles also in the bag, the five-times king of the game remains a hugely-popular and dangerous figure in the sport. Van Barneveld knows he is not among the favourites any more to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy and understands where he’s now positioned in the current game. But his ability remains firmly intact and, with a meeting against champ Humphries on the cards at the last 32 stage if he can defeat Stowe Buntz or Nick Kenny in round two, the Dutch master is adamant he’s capable of creating a huge upset.
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Van Barneveld told Record Sport: “I’m not on the posters any more, you know. It’s hard that no one says, 'Oh Ray’s going to win this'.
“We have to be realistic. I’m 57 years old, I came back after I retired. But in my head, anything is still possible. I know if I win my first round and Luke Humphries wins his first round, we meet already quite soon in the championship, but if you’re strong enough in your head and you work hard and you believe that you can do this, I wouldn’t be surprised if I can give Luke a good game or maybe even beat him.
“I can do a lot of damage and everyone knows that. I’m pretty sure if Luke meets me in the third round, he’s pretty sure that he needs to play a good game against me, otherwise I will maybe punish him. The whole world knows that, I know that, but it has to happen on that night.
“He knows what I can do, but he’s the one at the moment, he’s the best player. But, honestly, it doesn’t really matter if you get Michael van Gerwen first round, [Ricardo] Pietreczko or Martin Schindler or Gian van Veen. You know you always have to play your top game and that’s what I’m going to do and that’s what I’m going to prepare myself for.”
Van Barneveld has seen and done it all in the game and his nous will be invaluable when he gets back to the London showpiece. But he added: “The experience is important, but even to me, after 40 years of darts, it’s still different because I notice your body is every day different.
“So then you try to think what’s going on, but start thinking in darts, it’s deadly. You have to go along with it and just focus on the board, on the triples and the doubles and believe you can do anything when you can and I can do a lot.”
It might have been a regular trip for two decades, but the juices still flow within Van Barneveld as he gets set for the Palace return. Van Barneveld said: “I can’t wait, this is always the special one. The world championship is what every dart player wants to win. Being a world champion, as I know for myself, you are somebody. That’s what every dart player dreams of.”
