Vincent van der Voort harsh assessment of his best friend  “Michael van Gerwen Must Live for the Game Again”

Vincent van der Voort has never been known for holding back his opinions. Whether discussing the future of Dutch darts, Michael van Gerwen’s determination to return to the very top, or the overall health of the professional circuit, the veteran Dutchman delivers his views with refreshing bluntness. Even though his own competitive schedule has slowed down in recent years, his perspective on the sport — and on those at the top — remains as sharp as ever.

During a recent interview, it was his comments about long-time friend Michael van Gerwen that stood out the most. Van der Voort has been a close supporter of the three-time World Champion through a challenging period in his career, and he didn’t shy away from stating what he believes is necessary for MVG to reclaim his dominance.

“Michael knows he has to practise more, work more, and live for his sport,” van der Voort explained. “The divorce hurt him, and then there was his dad’s illness. But if in a few months he still has that focus, then we’ll see a better Michael.”

The message was clear — van Gerwen’s path back to his best lies in rediscovering total dedication to darts. But van der Voort was equally candid about the alternative. “If he thinks, ‘I’m fine doing what I’m doing now,’ then we’ll never see the best version again. The rest aren’t standing still. They’re getting better, more motivated. The money’s going crazy. He has to live for it again.”

Van der Voort revealed that he and van Gerwen have spoken openly about the issue. “We’ve had 100% honest conversations,” he said. “My job is to tell him how I feel. If he doesn’t want to listen, fine — it’s his career. But I have to say it, because I don’t want him looking back one day and asking, ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’”

The 48-year-old doesn’t believe any player, no matter how talented, can remain at the top without putting in the work. “There’s no one in the world who can do almost no practice and be number one. I don’t believe that,” he insisted.

Vincent van der Voort harsh assessment of his best friend  

Even with van Gerwen’s admission that he barely practised for more than two years, the Dutchman still held onto third place in the world rankings — something van der Voort attributes purely to MVG’s natural ability and competitive mindset. “But I don’t think he belongs there at the moment,” he said. “The throw, the rhythm — all of that suffers when you don’t practise. In practice, you build routine. Without that, you’re guessing every time you go to the board.”

In van der Voort’s eyes, improvement is still very possible, even after the elbow surgery that van Gerwen underwent. “With the wrist — yes, after the operation it might never be exactly like it was. But it can be better. More fluent. That’s about doing it day in, day out.”

He stressed that effective practice is not about endless hours at the board. “He doesn’t need to practise five hours a day — just properly. People confuse throwing at a board with practising. There’s a big difference.”

It’s that discipline and structured approach, van der Voort believes, that separates the greats from those who fade away. While van Gerwen has already achieved a legacy most players could only dream of, his friend is convinced there is still another chapter to be written — if MVG is willing to commit to the work.

For van der Voort, the equation is simple: talent and belief will take you far, but sustained dominance requires more than that. It needs routine, preparation, and complete focus — the same traits that took Michael van Gerwen to the summit of world darts in the first place.

As for whether van Gerwen will reclaim that level, the next few months could prove decisive. “If he still has the focus, we’ll see a better Michael,” van der Voort repeated. “If not, then what we’ve seen recently might be as good as it gets.”

One thing is certain — van der Voort will continue to give his friend the unvarnished truth, whether it’s welcome or not.