Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld reflect on spending 27 years on the oche
Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld on their 27 years sharing the oche
Monday 3 April 2017 15:12, UK
It's coming to an end. Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld share memories of their great rivalry over the last 27 years...
Their Thursday night clash in the Premier League could be their final competitive fixture as Taylor continues his countdown towards retirement at the start of next year - which would bring to an end arguably the sport's greatest-ever rivalry.
With that in mind, we've asked them both to be honest and come clean about each other...
This could be your last meeting with Barney on TV?
Taylor: I love playing Raymond. I've enjoyed the battles with him over the many years, obviously. I've still got the World Matchplay and the World Championship left yet, so there could be other times.
But I do love playing him - I've got big love for him.
Phil said he'll retire this year. That must be a strange feeling?
Barney: We're getting old, pal. Of course, you don't want that. A very good friend of mine said that nobody wants to get old. It's all about age - Phil has been here for 30 years.
How has Barney changed over the years?
Taylor: He hasn't really. Obviously he's getting older and gets more tired, but as a player he's still as keen and as hungry as ever.
Have you noticed the change in Phil?
Barney: He is always focused but, the last few times I've seen him, there is relief on his face. It's like he's got his freedom back.
It sounds weird, but you can see on his face that, after many years, he's had enough. He's kept on going and kept on going but there's no spare time. The man is absolutely tired.
The will to fight is still there, but only 30 or 40 per cent.
What's your memories of playing Barney and your impressions of him?
Taylor: I think the World Championship finals. Those were the memories for me, really. Obviously the head-to-head when he was the BDO world champion and I was the PDC world champion.
I thought Raymond was a very good player. I've enjoyed the battles over the years.
What's your earliest memory of playing Phil?
Barney: I played him in the Europe Cup in Malta. He was selected for England, I was selected for the Netherlands, and we met in the quarter-final.
This was 1991. The memory I have is that there were five events - teams, singles and pairs, then the Malta Open singles and the Malta Open pairs when Phil teamed with Steve Brown. Out of five competitions, he won them all!
I was thinking 'what a player'. At the time, he was my hero. I was a big fan.
They say 'never meet your heroes'...
Barney: It was always hard for me to play my hero. I never played Eric Bristow, but with Phil I've played him so many times. Nine out of 10 times he beats me. But the last 10 times, I've beaten him.
I'm not saying that he isn't playing well. But it's not like how he used to play. He's not as sharp.
There have been some famous bust-ups...
Taylor: I can't remember - I'm 56-years-old now! Nothing ever gets taken too serious because you haven't got time. You've got to move on and get ready for the next day, to be honest with you.
Barney: I remember the issue in the World Championship but I still don't know what happened there. Ask him.
I think he wanted to beat me 6-0 but it was 6-4. I congratulated him on stage, but he said I was pulling his hand, which I didn't notice. It was a nasty scene but I still don't know what I did.
How did you make up?
Barney: He texted me saying he was ashamed, offering me a nice meal the next time we met. But I still don't know what happened.
That's the only time I thought 'this is the other side of Phil'. But, the next day, he texted me saying he didn't realise what actually happened.
Are you friends?
Taylor: We're good friends. We've had a few tiffs like anybody. When you're working with somebody for 12 months of the year, you're going to have your little splits now and again. But 99 per cent of the time we're really good friends and get along great.
Barney: We don't visit each other, but he likes gadgets, and I like gadgets. I'm always keen on these things, and I try to help the other guys. I'm always busy with computers, iPads…
We always have stories for each other, and we learn from each other. We always sit together and have a conversation.
Do you cheer for Barney?
Taylor: I wouldn't cheer for anybody because I don't think that's fair, although it does depend on who he is playing because I do have a soft spot for Barney.
What's the most memorable match against each other?
Taylor: When I beat him in the 2009 World Championship final - that's my favourite. When he beat me in the 2007 final, I didn't like that one.
Barney: There was a head-to-head in 2000 when he beat me 21-10. Everyone was saying 'who's the best?' It wasn't a fair game because it was a one-hour game, so there was a clock ticking. If you see that you're 15-8 down, you know you don't have time to win, so you drop energy and focus.
Also, of course, the 2007 final which I cherish every day. And I won it!
So, will you miss him when he's gone?
Barney: Not the results! But of course I will miss him. He's so important for our sport. A good question: how will everyone respond to this?
Will you miss Barney?
Phil: I don't know until retirement happens, but I will always keep in touch with him.
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