Former professional darter Paul Nicholson has issued a warning to Gian van Veen about the risk of burnout during his first Premier League campaign. According to Nicholson, there is a real risk of burnout for Van Veen, who made an instant impression on debut by reaching the final on Night 1 in Newcastle, where he ultimately conceded to Michael van Gerwen. Van Veen, currently the global world number three, hitting the podium straight away on debut underlined why expectations around the young Dutchman are already sky-high, but Nicholson stresses that managing his schedule will be crucial in the long and gruelling Premier League season.
Speaking to Betway, Nicholson said: "It'll be interesting to see how Van Veen does, but if anybody's going to fit in like a round peg in a round hole, it's going to be that young man. He's so eloquent, he's so smart and so well prepared. The only question mark I have for is will he take his foot off the gas at the right times during this campaign?" Nicholson pointed to recent examples, adding: "Because if he plays too much, we saw what happened to Stephen Bunting last year and Damon Heta. They just played a little bit too much and they left themselves with nothing in the tank."
On his debut, the 23-year-old Van Veen made his mark straight away. In his opening match, he impressively dispatched world champion Luke Littler, then proved too strong for 'The Ferret' Jonny Clayton in the semi-final. In the final, his compatriot Michael van Gerwen edged him out, denying a dream debut for the reigning European Championship title holder. This Thursday, Van Veen returns for Night 2 of the Premier League Darts, with the tournament descending on Antwerp, Belgium, for the first time in its history. 'The Giant' faces Welshman Gerwyn Price in his opening match there.
