In a blistering interview that has sent shockwaves through the oche, 16-time World Champion Phil “The Power” Taylor has declared that the modern era of professional darts is plagued by “inherently selfish” personalities, a trait he believes is directly responsible for the high rate of failed marriages and broken homes within the sport.
Speaking candidly ahead of the World Matchplay, the 65-year-old legend did not hold back in his assessment of the current locker room culture, painting a picture of a sport increasingly dominated by narcissism rather than camaraderie.
“Let’s be honest, most dart players are inherently selfish,” Taylor stated flatly. “To get to the top of this game, you have to be. You are standing on that stage alone. There is no teammate to pass the ball to when you are choking. That isolation breeds a me-first mentality.”
Taylor, who has been open about his own marital struggles during his peak years, argued that the very discipline required to hit a double under pressure is the same poison that destroys relationships off the board.
“When you are practising six, seven, eight hours a day, you are telling your wife and kids that they are second place,” he explained. “You don’t mean to, but the board becomes your mistress. The modern lads, they have it even worse—they are obsessed with the money, the averages, the ranking points. They don’t see the person sitting at home alone.”
The comments come against a backdrop of several high-profile splits and divorces among the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) top 32. Taylor, who famously divorced his first wife Yvonne during his dominant run in the 1990s, claims that the current crop of players are failing to learn from history.
“They see the glitz on Sky Sports, but they don’t see the empty chairs in the living room,” he continued. “It is all about ‘me, me, me.’ They think because they can throw a 180, they don’t have to put the bins out or remember an anniversary. It’s barmy.”
Taylor reserved particular criticism for the “circuit rats”—players who travel the globe week in, week out, chasing ranking money. He warned that the financial rewards of the modern game, while substantial, have only amplified the ego.
“Years ago, you played, you got beaten, you went home and had a pint with the missus. Now, if they lose, they are on a flight to the next tournament the next morning. They are married to the tour, not their partners.”
However, the outspoken star did offer a caveat, noting that a select few have managed to balance the scales. “You look at the likes of Michael van Gerwen—yes, he is intense, but he seems to have found a way to switch it off. But he is the exception, not the rule,” Taylor noted. “The majority? They are selfish to the core. And until they look in the mirror and admit that, they will keep ending up alone.”
The PDC has declined to comment on Taylor’s remarks, but social media has been ablaze with reactions, with some players hitting back, accusing Taylor of “projecting” his own past onto a new generation.
Yet Taylor remains defiant. “Call it old-fashioned if you want. I call it honesty,” he concluded. “You can’t have a successful marriage if you are only married to yourself. It’s a simple as that.”