RAYMOND van Barneveld has identified the cause of Michael van Gerwen’s current darts struggles, putting his slumping form down to fatigue.
Van Gerwen is in the throes of a difficult run as he was knocked out of the UK Open by world number 57 Rob Owen.
He was also dumped out of January’s World Masters by Dimitri Van den Bergh, and fell to Michael Flynn at the Players Championship 3.
The Dutchman was then beaten handily by British darts sensation Luke Littler at this week’s Premier League meeting.
Van Barneveld, 57, is among darts’ most experienced players, winning four world championships so far in his career, and has highlighted fatigue as the cause of his countryman Van Gerwen’s troubles.
Speaking to TalkSport, he said: “Michael was always a killer. I don’t know what’s going on.
“I see him often, what is really going on with his game? I am not sure.
“We travel a lot, we play a lot. From Exeter last week, they play, one day later they go to the UK Open and play more matches.
“[It is] almost unstoppable at the moment. It is really tiring for all the players and we have to protect them you know?
“Premier League, Euro Tours, Pro Tours, in all honesty it is a little bit insane.”
The argument against ever-expanding calendars is not limited to darts, as football players threatened to go on strike in September 2024 in protest of growing seasons.
Despite a string of uncharacteristic results, though, Van Barneveld is backing Van Gerwen to get back to his best despite out-of-character results.
Van Barneveld cited this week’s losses to Littler and Luke Humphries as particularly concerning.
He said: “Michael is still in my eyes one of the best players in the world.
“What is bothering me with Mike at the moment after four nights he is -1 in leg difference and that is not like Mike, you know?
“He was always plus ten in legs or whatever, so he is struggling basically with his form and nobody knows why.
“He should have beat Luke Humphries as well. He was missing match darts and that is not really Michael.”
