DARTS ICON BELIEVES MVG HAS UNDERACHIEVED

By Aaron Nijjar  

RUSS BRAY believes Michael van Gerwen has underachieved in his career.  

‘The Green Machine’ has secured three PDC World Darts Championship titles—second only to Phil Taylor.  

World No. 3 Van Gerwen also boasts an incredible 157 PDC titles and has claimed the Premier League crown seven times. 

However, having witnessed the Dutchman’s incredible talent firsthand on the Alexandra Palace stage and numerous other venues, referee Bray feels MVG could have achieved even more.  

He said: “I look back at players from over the years who perhaps could have gone on to do more, and win more. You know, Terry Jenkins is right up there for me; he was in eight finals and never won one – it’s an underachievement.    

“Wadey [James Wade] has won a lot of majors, but never won the Worlds. You just wonder why. These are the types of guys who are there or thereabout, but I’d say have underachieved. 

“You know, I’d even say Michael van Gerwen has underachieved. I know he’s won three world titles, and a million others. But he’s underachieved, in my opinion, because he’s that good, that he could have won a lot more.” 

He added: “I’m not talking about one or two titles, I’m talking a hell of a lot more. One example, he got beat in the final of the UK Open a couple of years back, by Andrew Gilding. 

“I’m not disrespecting Gilding, but nine times out of ten, Michael van Gerwen will beat him. That’s another title gone. So, Michael has underachieved… he’s still one of the greatest darts players there’s ever been, but he could have won more, in my opinion.”  

This criticism follows Van Gerwen’s emphatic 7-3 defeat to 17-year-old Luke Littler in the recent World Championship final, where he was second best throughout. 

The loss for Van Gerwen marked his third consecutive defeat in a World Championship final, having previously fallen to Michael Smith in 2023 and Peter Wright in 2020. 

Between 2015 and 2017, ‘Mighty Mike’ dominated the oche as he added 55 PDC titles to his now bulging trophy cabinet.

In contrast, between 2022 and 2024, he secured just 19, with the majority of those victories coming in 2022. 

Van Gerwen’s Premier League campaign has got off to a steady start thus far as he sits in third and four points off top spot. He has made three successive semi-finals.  

MVG returns to action this Thursday and faces Rob Cross in Exeter at the fourth night of the tournament. 

Image by Taylor Lanning.