"He's like the marmite player of darts": Emma Paton and Polly James debate Van den Bergh's divisive 'mind games'

Dimitri van den Bergh is often criticised for the way he approaches the game of darts with the Belgian known to slow it down and calm himself down on the oche and it was a topic on the latest Love the Darts Podcast.

Van den Bergh's mind games came into question after an incident with Luke Humphries where he gave him a shoulder roll after hitting a double only for 'Cool Hand Luke' to respond with one more vigorously. But while he is a divisive darting character, those on the podcast don't think he does it on purpose and it is just the way he approaches the game with help from his psychologist.

'The Dreammaker' has flourished in Blackpool over the years winning the title previously and having been seen frequenting nightclubs in the town over the week of the World Matchplay, he certainly does enjoy himself in the seaside destination.

"He's like the marmite player of darts at the moment isn't he," quipped Polly James who works as an interviewer on Sky Sports Darts.

"Someone sent me yesterday on Instagram, this fan has a tattoo of him. So he does have a lot of fans. I don't know if you remember the bit we did with Dimi, four Quarter-Finals in five years. He also produces these moments of magic in Blackpool and he said it's where he got scouted by Mac (Elkin). So there must be something in the air in Blackpool. I suppose he can pull a bit of confidence or experience or something."

"Came up against Luke (Humphries) which was one of my favourite games and he's the king of mind games at the moment."

"I don't think he does it on purpose. I was speaking to someone about the shoulder shrug and something that this psychologist he works with told him to do to relax himself. So he wasn't doing this on purpose," said Emma Paton in response about Van den Bergh.