"I asked him, ‘Was that really necessary?" - Michael van Gerwen questioned after 'pub player' outburst towards Pero Ljubic

Michael van Gerwen may have opened his Poland Darts Masters campaign with a 6-4 win over Croatia’s Pero Ljubić, but it wasn’t the result that grabbed headlines. Instead, it was a post-match comment from the Dutchman that drew widespread criticism. Van Gerwen referred to Ljubić as a “pub player” — a jibe that didn’t sit well with many in the darts community, including close friend and fellow pro Vincent van der Voort.

Speaking on the Darts Draait Door podcast, Van der Voort suggested Van Gerwen’s outburst stemmed more from personal frustration than genuine critique. “I think it was just frustration with his own performance, which he took out on his opponent,” Van der Voort said. “That’s not right. Ljubić did his absolute best on stage, pushed Michael close, and then gets slapped with a remark like that. What more could he have done?”

While Van der Voort acknowledged that Ljubić has struggled for form since earning his Tour Card in January — failing to register a win on the floor circuit until mid-May — he still felt the comment was unwarranted.

“I know what Michael’s like — he often just says what’s on his mind, and that’s part of his charm. But in this case, it wasn’t necessary. He could’ve just said he played poorly but still managed to win. Everyone is responsible for their words. I’ve said things I probably shouldn’t have too — it happens.”

Van der Voort, who travelled to Poland to support Van Gerwen in person, revealed he confronted him about the remark straight after the match.

“I asked him, ‘Was that really necessary? Are you just trying to deflect attention from yourself?’ Michael is simply too big a name in the sport to be taking public swipes at someone like Ljubić,” he added. “He did something similar with Jules van Dongen in America not long ago. And yes, that’s part of who Michael is — but I still think he should choose his moments more carefully.”