Raymond van Barneveld wants to extend darts career for at least three more years: ''What else are you going to live on?''

Raymond van Barneveld plans to play on the professional circuit for at least three more years, the five-time world champion revealed in an interview with the Algemeen Dagblad.

According to Van Barneveld, he has not yet played to be financially independent enough in recent years. "So yes, I have to keep going. If you stop, you lose all your sponsors. If you stop being on television, you won't be asked for exhibitions either. What else are you going to live on?"

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But in addition to the financial reason, Van Barneveld thinks darts itself is still too much fun to put the arrows away for good. "I made it to the top 32 after my comeback and that's not for everyone. That comes from faith and perseverance. Eventually I want to get to a place in the top 16 or even higher. Realistic? I don't know, but the dreams are there. If those become years where I don't win a round and everything starts gnawing away.... yes, then you have to start looking at yourself in the mirror again.''

The 56-year-old Hague native also made another revelation. His cooperation with trainer Iwe Kuitert has stopped. He also no longer practices with his former protégé Jeffrey de Zwaan.

After the World Championship, Van Barneveld will look for a new supervisor. ''What I'm looking for? Someone with a plan, someone who just gives a knock on your door when you're in Barnsley for four days after you lose the first two immediately. Someone who is proactive. But yes, people with darts knowledge who can also make the time for it are not to be had for the taking. Being able to click? That is not so important to me. Sometimes you can't work with me anyway. But I don't feel like doing that myself, arranging peripheral things like tickets and hotels'', Van Barneveld summarized the profile of a future coach.

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Raymond van Barneveld wil na sprookjeshuwelijk nog zeker drie jaar door: ‘Waar ga je anders van leven?’ dlvr.it/SzxL1H

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