“I never once saw the man at breakfast” – Van der Voort names the greatest darts player of all time and highlights his unrivalled discipline
PDC
For Vincent van der Voort there is little doubt about who the greatest darts player of all time is. In the podcast Darts Draait Door, the former pro speaks with admiration about Phil Taylor. Not only because of ‘The Power’s’ 16 world titles, but above all for the discipline and sacrifices that, according to Van der Voort, underpinned his unrivalled dominance for years.
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“For me, the greatest of all time and a great champion,” Van der Voort says firmly. The Dutchman believes Taylor would have no trouble competing in today’s game. “What he was doing 20 or 25 years ago would still put him right up there today. But also the way he approached life and what he did for it.”
That last point made a big impression on Van der Voort, who spent years alongside Taylor on the professional circuit. While other players sought to unwind after a matchday, Taylor couldn’t resist heading back to the board.
“What he gave up for it was incredible. You'd think he'd just go and have a game of cards in the evening, have a bath or lie down in his room. And then he still wouldn't be completely satisfied, so he'd go and throw for another half an hour. Just to get that good feeling."
“He had to do and give up everything for it”
According to Van der Voort, Taylor was not someone for whom everything came naturally. “It wasn't the most effortless throw either, of course. He had to do everything for it and sacrifice everything for it. He really was a great champion.”
He points above all to the Englishman’s mental strength. Taylor dominated darts for years, yet despite his huge list of honours he stayed motivated to keep improving.
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“He stayed sharp and hungry,” says Van der Voort. Even after Taylor had already collected a mountain of world titles, that drive, he says, barely waned.
Only in the final year of his career did Van der Voort see a clear change. Taylor still reached the final at his last World Championship, but the Dutchman felt that ‘The Power’ was past his absolute peak by then.
“It was only in that very last year that you noticed he was finished. Maybe he went on for one year too long. Then he started behaving differently."
That does not change his verdict on Taylor’s entire career. “But that's nothing against the man. When you look at how professional he was, especially with his training, he did everything for it. He made sure he was ready.”
Phil Taylor is regarded as the most successful darts player of all time with, among other things, 16 world titles
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Van der Voort hardly ever saw Taylor at breakfast
Taylor also worked to strict routines, according to Van der Voort. “For certain tournaments, he knew he had to stick rigidly to his schedule. And that sounds very easy, but it's incredibly difficult.”
Exactly how Taylor structured his days sometimes remained a mystery to colleagues. Van der Voort says he spent fifteen to twenty years around him on Tour, yet hardly ever saw him at breakfast.
“I never once saw the man at breakfast. I don't know. You never knew what he was doing. Even at World Championships, he'd suddenly appear again. He was almost a great mystery."
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Big difference to Luke Littler
The podcast then draws a comparison with Luke Littler, who is also dominating the sport at a young age. In terms of character, however, Van der Voort sees few similarities.
“Taylor was much more present in the practice room. He would tell everyone how good he was, and that he had more money than everyone else. Everyone knew that.”
By contrast, Van der Voort says Littler is strikingly calm behind the scenes. “Littler just sits quietly in his chair waiting until he has to play. He doesn't really say anything. If you don't say something to him, he really doesn't say anything at all.”
Van der Voort also notes that Littler still spends a lot of time with his parents and girlfriend. He sees no issue with that. He is particularly enthusiastic about Littler’s father.
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“His father isn't someone who keeps his mouth shut. But the man is always having fun. The whole weekend is a celebration.”
Van der Voort recalls a tournament in Wieze, where Littler lost to Niels Zonneveld. The young Englishman decided to head straight home with his girlfriend.
“Littler lost to Niels, and Littler came back. And within... well, maybe five or six minutes, he'd booked a flight home with his girlfriend. And his father said, "I'm not going with you."
Littler’s father simply decided to carry on with his weekend. “He just carried on enjoying the weekend. And that evening you could see him walking around again. He was on his own. He's just a fantastic guy."
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Lucas MichaelDarts Journalist
Lucas Michael is a darts journalist and reporter based in Cambridge, UK, and has been part of the DartsNews team since 2025. He covers professional darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and live coverage, with a focus on clear context and accurate reporting across the PDC calendar.
A key part of his work is liveblogging major tournaments throughout the year, providing real-time updates, match coverage, and contextual reporting across the professional circuit. He also reports regularly from events on site and has covered the PDC World Darts Championship from the venue, delivering first-hand insight throughout the tournament.
Within the newsroom, Lucas works closely with the editorial team and supports coverage alongside Chief Content Officer Samuel Gill and reporter Kieran Wood.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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