"The sport of darts will change massively - because it's about money" - Robert Marijanovic expects a coaching revolution in the PDC

In the debut episode of the new podcast “Darts on the #1”, German stars Gabriel Clemens, Robert Marijanovic and Bundesliga player Marcel Althaus dive headfirst into one of the sport’s most hotly debated topics: How much analysis is too much when it comes to perfecting the darting action — and at what point does a coach become essential?

The trio waste no time getting stuck into the debate, exploring the balance between muscle memory and overthinking. For Althaus, who has competed at the top level in Germany, the ability to consistently land darts in microscopic segments of the board remains almost surreal.

“You stand there and hit it again and again — it's actually impossible,” Althaus says, referencing what he calls the brain’s “mechanical centre,” which takes over once the action becomes automatic — that is, so long as you don’t overthink it.

Marijanovic backs up that theory: “Honestly, the ones who think the least on tour are often the best.” Clemens agrees: “Not overthinking — even at the board — is definitely an advantage.”

But Althaus plays devil’s advocate. What happens when form dips? “If you don’t know why you’re playing well, how do you pull yourself out of a crisis?” he asks. The conversation quickly deepens, raising a fundamental issue at the heart of elite performance in darts.

Traditionally, most darts players have trained alone. But according to Marijanovic, the days of the lone wolf may be numbered.

“It’s going to change massively,” he says. “Not because everyone suddenly wants to be more professional — but because there’s serious money involved now.”

Clemens remains more cautious, especially when it comes to technical adjustments. “If you try to copy Chizzy, it won’t help — he’s mastered a technique that works only for him,” he points out. Still, Marijanovic sees real value in tactical coaching. “You need someone backstage, someone who watches and says: ‘You’re leaning too far forward right now. Loosen up a bit.’”

For Althaus, the trend is clear: “The current generation will resist it. But in the long term, coaching is the way forward.”

Another central talking point is the ever-increasing obsession with equipment. Marijanovic recalls watching Clemens work with precision while having new darts manufactured. “I once joined Gaga at an appointment where he was getting new darts made. He was so precise — telling the machinist to adjust the barrel by just a millimetre. It was impressive.”

Clemens acknowledges the importance of the setup, but insists belief plays a bigger role than design tweaks. “You have to believe in it yourself,” he says. “For me, it was about getting the transition between the tip and barrel right — and it worked.”

But the line that resonates most comes almost as a throwaway: “Don’t believe in your material — believe in yourself.” Marijanovic circles back to the phrase later, knowing full well it sums up the psychological side of elite darts in a single sentence.

Even at the grassroots level, players are now chasing marginal gains. Althaus, after switching sponsors to Target, has begun weighing his darts to the tenth of a gram. “I ordered a precision scale straight away — because things are going really well at the moment,” he explains.
Marijanovic takes it a step further. “I work in a metal company. When I get new darts, I bring them to quality control. I test exactly what material they’re made of.” Clemens, by contrast, admits he’s never even weighed a dart in his life.