Van Barneveld honest on chances ahead of final PDC World Championship: 'Is it realistic to say I will lift this trophy? No, but the belief is there'

Raymond van Barneveld heads into his final PDC World Championship to end his illustrious career and he will hope to bring down the curtain on this perfectly at the Alexandra Palace.

Van Barneveld spoke at the PDC World Championship media launch to the assembled media including DartsNews.com and said that the belief is still there after Minehead.

Despite that, he is realistic about his chances but said that despite that, he will be working to his fullest to reach his targets.

The Dutch legend added that it is the one tournament he can still get up for and that barring that, he doesn't want to feel like he has felt this past year which is why he is giving up.

"The last year went really quick. I can't believe a year is over now, I think I had a good run but unfortunately yesterday (Sunday) wasn't there; I don't know why but I was overwhelmed by nerves and less concentration but I still showed that I can do this," said Van Barneveld to the assembled media at the PDC World Championship press launch.

"Is it realistic to say I will lift the trophy? No, but the belief is there. But I am going to work as hard as possible on this target."

"I can win titles, I can win tournaments but doing in front of the crowd, in front of the people at home during the World Championship is all that matters. All these titles are fantastic but it means nothing if it's not the World Championship."

"I don't want this feeling anymore, playing three wonderful games then I go out with this. You don't know where it suddenly comes from and depression starts again and you don't want to be there anymore, that's why I am giving up."

Legacy

Van Barneveld discussed his legacy as well and said that he knows himself that he is well known in his home country and that it shows the true effect of darts as a sport.

'Barney' added that from his perspective due to the emerging players, one day players like himself and Phil Taylor will be just reflected on due to what they have done.

"Every third person in Holland knows my name, there was a thing on TV which said that 92 percent of people knows Barney and some really common footballers 88 percent, I'm not saying we're going to defeat football, we're never going to defeat football but it says a lot about how many people watch darts," continued Van Barneveld.

"The likes of Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, John Part, Eric Bristow; maybe one day they will read our names back in statistics in magazines and new people will start entertaining the new eras."

Missing Grand Slam of Darts

The five time World Champion wasn't allowed a farewell in a tournament he has previously on in the Grand Slam of Darts and he discussed the schedule and said that having to play in Amsterdam then Wigan the following day is too much for him.

"Going to a tournament like in Amsterdam, then having to go and qualify on the Monday in Wigan so that means on Sunday I reached the finals there, I got beat in the Quarter-Finals then the next day they want me to be on the plane. With all due respect, I could have delays, my suitcase could not turn up. You don't need this extra information or panic, to me it was unbelievable that they didn't organise this on a Tuesday, some things I can't cope with."

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