"I don’t see him returning to top level every week": Age is 'merciless opponent' for ailing Peter Wright

In the latest episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast, Damien Vlottes and Vincent van der Voort cast their eyes over a number of big talking points in the sport. From Danny Noppert’s underappreciated status in the elite, to the possible decline of Peter Wright and Raymond van Barneveld, and the build-up to the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, the discussion was both candid and insightful.

Van der Voort revealed that Danny Noppert had recently messaged him, feeling hard done by after previous remarks on the podcast. “He thought we were being very negative about him,” Van der Voort explained. “But that’s not true at all. Danny has been a top 16 player for years, and he’s a major winner. That’s a huge achievement. But because of that, the bar is set higher for him.”

Noppert, ‘The Freeze’, reportedly feels forgotten by the media. Vlottes sympathised: “He might have a point. Expectations are simply different with him. If someone like Luke Woodhouse reaches a quarter-final, we call it a great result. But with Noppert, people expect more.”

Van der Voort highlighted one particular weakness in Noppert’s game. “He’s struggled on the Euro Tour, especially switching from afternoon to evening sessions. That’s where he could really improve. He wins Pro Tours, he reaches TV semi-finals, but on the Euro Tour he often falls short. If he fixes that, he can win titles very quickly.”

Still, both hosts praised Noppert’s resilience. “He’s super consistent and always tough to beat,” Van der Voort said. “You don’t stay in the top 16 for three-and-a-half years if you don’t belong there.”

Luke Littler also came up in the conversation, particularly after being pictured watching Formula 1 alongside Michael van Gerwen during the Czech Darts Open. “He’s very relaxed about it,” Van der Voort said. “Sometimes he’s angry after a defeat, but it passes quickly. That makes him different to champions of the past, who were always burning with hunger.”

However, the role of social media was discussed more critically. “His mother was angry on Facebook – you shouldn’t do that. Neither should Danny [Noppert],” Van der Voort warned. “They’re too big for that. You can’t care what a fan or journalist writes.”

The debate then turned to whether Peter Wright has reached the twilight of his career. The Scot has slipped in the rankings and has been far from his best. “I don’t see him returning to top level every week,” Van der Voort admitted. “Maybe he’ll win another title, but top five in the world? No, I don’t believe that anymore. Age is a merciless opponent.”

Vlottes agreed, noting that the decline of icons can be painful. “The same goes for Van Barneveld. For younger fans, he’s now just a player who often loses. But we know him as one of the greatest champions ever, and that contrast is hard to see.”

Van der Voort recalled a telling moment from Barney’s match against Krzysztof Ratajski in Prague. “After just the second turn, he was already pulling faces. That’s very early in a match to look so unhappy. I hoped that after a month off in August he’d come back recharged, but it hasn’t really changed. With this attitude, it’s agony.”

Despite the struggles of the veterans, Van der Voort stressed that the next generation is quickly coming.

“There are 14- and 15-year-olds already playing at a really high level. Not all will make it, but I think we’ll see 19- or 20-year-olds in World Championship quarter-finals very soon. Look at Van Gerwen – he was world youth champion at 17. The successors are coming, and that will put pressure on the established order.”

Another key talking point was the current state of the European Tour, with seven events taking place in Germany. “That’s too many,” Vlottes argued. “Germany is a huge market, of course, but it would be better to spread them across Europe.”

Van der Voort agreed: “Why not Ireland, Scotland, or Wales? The atmosphere is great there. In Finland I did a demo recently and the place was packed. Spain, France, Sweden, Italy – there are real opportunities. The only problem is Spain right now, because their darts scene is in its worst spell in 20 years.”

Finally, attention turned to the upcoming World Series of Darts Finals at AFAS Live in Amsterdam, where Dutch players will collide early on. Jermaine Wattimena faces Kevin Doets, Wessel Nijman takes on Michael van Gerwen, and Van Barneveld meets Dutch-Norwegian Cor Dekker. "A good draw for Van Barneveld,” Vlottes noted. “But if he loses, it will hurt badly.”

Van der Voort disagreed slightly. “It can’t hurt more than it already does. He’s always devastated after a loss. But I still expect him to win. Dekker is decent, but Raymond has to make him play the game of his life.”

The clash between Nijman and Van Gerwen also caught their eye. “Nijman might even be the slight favourite,” Van der Voort suggested. “He’s in better form at the moment. But he’s never beaten Michael, and the mental aspect plays a huge role.”