Michael van Gerwen warns English darts faces hard times once Phil Taylor retires
World No 1 believes Ally Pally fans and TV viewers better get used to a lack of successful home stars - with Adrian Lewis, Dave Chisnall and James Wade set to drop down the rankings
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has warned English darts fans that the cupboard will be bare once Phil Taylor retires.
The world No 1 reckons Ally Pally spectators and TV audiences better get used to a lack of successful home-grown stars.
There are just three English players in the Top 10 of the PDC Order of Merit with Taylor the highest ranked at No 6.
Adrian Lewis, Dave Chisnall and James Wade are expected to see their rankings drop in the New Year after being eliminated in the first round.
Taylor, who plays fellow countryman Keegan Brown in the last 16 on Thursday, hangs up his darts having dominated the sport for the best part of the past 30 years.
Proud Dutchman Van Gerwen said: “You see now the top five players in the world and there are no Englishmen.
“And that is a little bit worrying for English darts.
“Of course, at the moment we have Phil Taylor. But when he retires, Dave Chisnall will be the highest English seed (at No.8).
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“That is a bit worrying to me to be fair.
“It is a more international game with more international names. It used to be 20 out of the top 32 were English. It’s not like that anymore.”
Only five Englishmen have qualified for the Last 16 of the 2018 World Championship – with the potential of a sixth in Darren Webster if he beats Simon Whitlock in the remaining second round matches today.
This is the lowest tally in the 25-year history of the tournament.
In 2004, all the Last 16 competitors were from England. It was 10 in 2013, and has been seven at the previous four championships.
Van Gerwen added: “I don’t care where the players come from, whether they are English, Scandinavian, German, or Chinese whatever.
“I just want to do my thing and win all the tournaments.
“What I like is that the English crowds cheer now for Dutch and German players. In fact, sometimes they cheer for your opponent or you. And that is something good.”
The reigning world champion is in stellar form, having beaten Christian Kist and James Wilson with averages of 106.17 and 108.65 respectively.
His opponent today is Welshman Gerwyn Price, whom Van Gerwen has beaten in each of the 10 times they have played.
The 28-year-old said: *“*I feel good, comfortable, and cannot really complain.
“In this form, you can give yourself confidence for the next few rounds.
But whether it is with a 110 average or 85, I don’t care. I want to win this trophy. It would be nice to break some more records.
“People always say: ‘You are like a robot.’ But I’m not a robot. I have to work really hard for it. People think it is easy. But it is not. I look like a robot sometimes. But I am not! It takes a lot of energy out of my body sometimes.
“When you are smashing someone, it’s lovely. Maybe the best feeling in darts you can have in darts.”