Raymond van Barneveld has bluntly described his current career phase as difficult, but the five-time world champion is shrugging off retirement claims, insisting he isn't ready to quit. In an interview with Online Darts in Swansea, the 58-year-old Dutchman spoke candidly about his struggles with form, health, and motivation, admitting, "Since November I've been struggling. I tried different set-ups and that's not good for your brain or your concentration." Despite this, his love for the game remains undiminished, noting, "It's fun, no stress. I love it. Good crowds. Yesterday I played really well against Gezzy [Gerwyn Price] and Joe Cullen, and tonight I'm playing Steven Bunting and Gezzy again. So here in Swansea it's great."
The season started far from ideal for Van Barneveld, who looks back at his last World Championship with mixed feelings after a bad loss to Stefan Bellmont. He took time off, including a two-week holiday in Thailand with Julia, which left him with almost no rhythm. This has proven dangerous on the Pro Tours, where he struggles due to early afternoon starts. "I'm not a morning person," he explained. "At one o'clock I'm not at my best physically because of my diabetes and everything. So I'm struggling on the Pro Tours." The result has been early exits, few ranking points, and dropping out of some European Tour spots, with averages sometimes in the 70s. He attributes part of the problem to equipment changes, now sticking to slim flights from Target Darts made in Japan, like the K-Flex ones, hoping for improvement over the next couple of months.
Given his age and results, questions about retirement are frequent, but Van Barneveld refuses to accept the end. "They want to win. I'm like an old lion or an old tiger — leave me alone. They have the fire. At the moment the fire isn't there for me," he said with a smile. "I don't want to give up yet." However, he remains realistic, adding, "But if this year is really bad, I can't do another year." He cites factors like ageing, muscle memory, diabetes, and the mental toll of tour life, including tough moments in hotels after losses. Despite four Pro Tours in a row without ranking points, he still believes he can beat anyone, though consistency is an issue, and he's impressed by young talents like Charlie Manby, Beau Greaves, and Arno Merk.
The World Championship at Alexandra Palace remains his main target, despite losing in the first round for the last two years. To improve, he's considering going to the gym or finding someone to travel with him for guidance. He also expressed pride in the new generation of Dutch players, tipping Wessel and praising Gian van Veen as a fantastic double hitter, suggesting they could form a fantastic team with Michael van Gerwen at the World Cup. On Danny Noppert missing a Premier League spot, he said, "A little bit, yes," but noted the PDC also looks at entertainment. Van Barneveld continues training daily in his office in The Hague, concluding, "There's always tomorrow, and tomorrow can change everything. If you believe in yourself and keep working hard, it can come back."
