- PDC World Championship
Show me the trophies! Silverware drives Van Gerwen on
Michael van Gerwen is about to defend his PDC world crown and is as clear as he can be about what will drive him on.
Relaxed and comfortable sitting in a Tower Bridge hotel, on the eve of his return to Alexandra Palace after lifting his first global title there last New Year's Day, he is eyeing more silverware.
"A healthier bank balance is a nice thing, but it's not about that," Van Gerwen tells ESPN, reflecting on the competition's £250,000 prizemoney - as well as the biggest (and, according to him, heaviest) trophy that he won by beating Peter Wright 7-4.
Who can topple Van Gerwen?
- Phil Taylor: Searching for his 17th world title, Taylor's 2014 started badly with a 7-0 whitewash defeat to Van Gerwen in the Premier League. However, "The Power" is now used to his new darts and won the World Matchplay in July and the Grand Slam of Darts in November. After going out in the second round to Michael Smith last year, he'll be hungry to regain his crown. Odds: 15/8 favourite
- Adrian Lewis: Back in the winner's circle after his UK Open triumph in March and was runner-up in the Players Championship Finals last month. Frighteningly good at this time of year and on par with Van Gerwen in terms of natural talent. Back-to-back world champion in 2011 and 2012, making him the youngest ever player to successfully defend the PDC crown - although Van Gerwen can change that. Odds: 11/1
- Gary Anderson: Has seemingly solved his doubles problems and rediscovered the form that saw him reach the PDC World Championship final in 2011 and win the Premier League in the same year. Beat Adrian Lewis to the Players Championship crown last month. Firing on all cylinders. Odds: 13/2
- James Wade: An eight-time PDC major winner who looks back to his brilliant best. made a remarkable comeback against Mervyn King in The Masters final last month, reached the World Grand Prix final this year and also hit a nine-dart finish in his second round clash with Robert Thornton at the same tournament. The best finisher in the game.Odds: 14/1
- Dave Chisnall: Came within a whisker of winning his first major title when he narrowly lost out to Taylor at the Grand Slam. Has beaten big names on this stage, including Taylor, although suffered a shock first round exit to John Henderson last year. Odds: 35/1
- Raymond van Barneveld: The Ally Pally crowd love the big Dutchman and he's got five world titles to his name. Had a barren few years but stopped the rot with victory at the 2012 Grand Slam of Darts. Not set the world on fire this year, but you can't rule him out - it all depends on which "Barney" turns up. Odds: 40/1
- Odds courtesy of Unibet. Correct at time of publication
"It's about winning titles. You win titles, you hold the trophies - nothing can beat that. It's nice to pick up the cheque afterwards but, at that moment, you don't care about money.
"You can say 'I'm the best' and that's what it's all about. I want to win everything at least once as a minimum. That'll make me happy."
"I don't feel pressure to retain my title," Van Gerwen adds during his preparations to face Joe Cullen in the first round at Ally Pally. "I feel the same way as I did last year. If anything, it makes it a bit easier because I've already won it - and they always say the first time is the hardest.
"I can't wait for it, though - this is the big one. You've got to be perfect and not miss a thing, because everyone wants to play well and everyone wants to win. This is the most important one."
Van Gerwen smiles at the thought. Happiness is just one of the many "Mighty Mike" expressions the darts world has come to love over the past two years, along with his trademark gurn.
But there have been tears, too. Having lost to his great rival, 16-time world champion Phil Taylor, in the final of the World Matchplay in July, an emotional Van Gerwen broke down on stage.
"Losing hurts," he admits. "But you can't worry about those things. It'll happen again in my life. Thinking that way causes problems for yourself and I don't want to be like that. I just try and win all the tournaments.
"If you think too much, it affects your mentality and that's not the way I want to do it. If I lose, afterwards I say 'on to the next tournament - I want to win again'. No changes in preparation, nothing.
"You can't win every tournament. You need to get over it. Why worry?"
Losing as a defending champion has a different dimension, however, and reminding Van Gerwen of that reveals he may not always be able to practice what he preaches.
Last month, he was beaten by Terry Jenkins in the second round of the Players Championship Finals in Minehead and the memory is enough to wipe away his smile as he paints a justifiably positive picture of 2014.
"People think it has been difficult for me but I've played well," Van Gerwen says. "I won the PDC World Cup in July, made the semi-final at the UK Open, the final of the Premier League, the final of the World Matchplay. I won the Dubai Darts Masters, the Singapore Darts Masters and the World Grand Prix.
"People only look back at the last tournament and think 'Oh he's playing rubbish' or whatever. If you look at this year as a whole, I won the most tournaments so it's not been bad at all.
"There's no pressure going back to Ally Pally as defending champion. Those early rounds, you get six odd days off in between so I fly home and practice. I get out of the bubble.
"I don't feel pressure. I know what I can do if I play well - I'll win."
Worth a flutter?
- They may not go all the way but these men are more than capable of reaching the final.
- Stephen Bunting: Current BDO world champion and has enjoyed a strong debut year on the PDC tour, picking up a couple of Pro Tour event victories. Odds: 20/1
- Andy Hamilton: The 2012 runner-up and, on his day, a relentless player. Tough to play against and wears opponents down. Never throws in the towel. Odds: 150/1
- Peter Wright: Last year's beaten finalist. Has had a tough year but will be focused enough to make sure it wasn't a flash in the pan. Great style, too. Odds: 40/1
- Michael Smith: The man who knocked Phil Taylor out in the second round last year. Wonderfully gifted youngster who has the potential to become a world champion - may be a few years too early for him yet. Odds: 66/1
- Bet of the tournament? Gary Anderson to hit a nine-dart finish looks great value at 8/1
- Odds courtesy of Unibet. Correct at time of publication
No matter how he feels, there will be plenty of rivals gunning for Van Gerwen. Taylor is aiming for a 17th world crown; Gary Anderson, the eventual winner in Minehead, has enjoyed scintillating form this season; Adrian Lewis, the 2011 and 2012 world champion, won the UK Open title in March and often comes alive this time of year.
James Wade, whose omission from this year's Premier League helped him overcome his well-documented issues and rediscover form, also produced a stunning comeback against Mervyn King in the Masters final last month, ending a three-year wait for his eighth major title.
There are dangerous outsiders, too, such as Grand Slam of Darts runner-up Dave Chisnall, Kim Huybrechts and last year's beaten finalist Wright.
Van Gerwen remains confident. "Who has impressed me this year? No one, really because I already know what they can do," he says. "A couple of players find form but that doesn't impress me. I know what they're capable of.
"You need to deal with the [Gary] Andersons, the Taylors, Lewis. You can't afford to make mistakes against them because they'll punish you.
"Adrian won the UK Open, but after that didn't play too well - next thing he makes the final of the Players Championship Finals [in Minehead]. Gary has been playing well all year, but Minehead was the first tournament he won."
Van Gerwen's route to the top has not been smooth and his self-assurance is well founded. He burst onto the scene as a spiky-haired 13-year-old and, despite becoming the youngest player to win the BDO World Masters in 2006, he suffered a barren spell after joining the PDC a year later.
His potential was questioned but now, aged 25, those doubts - and the hair - have disappeared.
"Whenever I wasn't playing that well, I used to lose," Van Gerwen says. "Now, most of the time, I win the close matches. That's down to fear - the opponent now fears you, not the other way around. They need to beat me, I don't need to beat them.
"Even if I don't play 100%, even if I'm not fully on my game, I know I can still win a tournament. I always want to dominate a game but you can't do it every time. If you know you can sometimes play 80% of what you can and still win, it's a nice position to be in."
So what is it that turned Van Gerwen into a world champion? "Practice, every day," he says. "You need to do everything in preparation, but never blame yourself afterwards. You shouldn't be saying 'I should have done this, I could have done that'.
"You need to click. If it doesn't click, you don't win. Sometimes you need a little bit of luck at the right moments, like you do everything in life. If you do everything and still don't win, then at least you tried everything beforehand. So good practice, go to bed early and a good breakfast in the morning!"
