Raymond van Barneveld has opened up about his struggles on the tour, admitting that his current form is not where he wants it to be. The five-time world champion, now ranked world number 39, has played four matches on the Euro Tour this year, losing them all, and has made it to the fourth round just once on the floor. Speaking on The Darts Show, the Dutchman was candid: "At this moment, it isn't going well. Everyone can see that. I can't really say what's going on. I try, I do my best, and every time I'm at home I'm practising."
In an attempt to turn things around, van Barneveld has relocated to Milton Keynes, a city that hosts several Players Championship events and offers easier travel to floor tournaments in England. "Today I got the keys to my house in Milton Keynes, so that should save me a lot of energy in terms of travelling," he said. He has also joined new management with Victus and Steve Midgley. "I think living in the UK is better for me because I can do more work, exhibitions and other opportunities. It's a massive step, and I'm really looking forward to it."
Van Barneveld admitted he needs a break from the oche but will continue playing Pro Tours. "I'm still going to play the Pro Tours. I'm not in the World Matchplay and not in some of the Euro Tours because I'm dropping down the rankings," he explained. He described the difficulty of early exits: "You lie on your bed, you're at the venue from 10 in the morning, and if you get beaten at 1:30 in the afternoon you're back in your hotel room wondering what's going wrong." He also mentioned his diabetes as a factor: "It's harder to concentrate. I get blurred vision, I get cold hands sometimes, especially in the morning."
With the World Matchplay and other majors out of reach, van Barneveld's primary focus is qualifying for the World Championship. Currently ranked 117th in the race to Minehead with £8,750 from the first 20 events, he needs to stay in the top 40 in the world or earn enough via the ProTour Order of Merit. "The biggest nightmare is not qualifying for the World Championship. So I'm going to do everything I can with my new management, who give me a lot of positive vibes, and I'm looking forward to moving ahead," he stated.
Reflecting on his career, van Barneveld named his top three moments: the opening night of the Premier League in Blackburn, the nights in Rotterdam with the crowd in orange, and the 2007 World Championship final against Phil Taylor, where he came back from 3–0 down to win 7–6. "That was my first year in the PDC, and from that point onwards it remains one of the greatest moments of my career," he said. Despite the struggles, he remains determined: "All I can say is that I'm going to do my very best. I've got the best sponsors in the world. Target do everything they can for me. We're constantly working on setups and making changes until we get it right. So no, I'm not going to give up yet."
