Michael van Gerwen sends clear message to Luke Littler as Phil Taylor comparison slammed
Michael van Gerwen sends clear message to Luke Littler as Phil Taylor comparison slammed
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Michael van Gerwen has slammed comparisons between Luke Littler and Phil Taylor and says it "takes away respect" from the legends of darts. Littler has quickly become one of the biggest superstars in the sport after winning the World Darts Championship at the age of just 17 - the youngest player to do so - and is being tipped to dominate darts for years to come. His triumph saw him thump Van Gerwen 7-3 in the final as fans claimed there could be a changing of the guard, with the Dutchman previously one of the sport's biggest heavyweights.
The youngster's high praise from the media has led to some speculating he could one day overtake the achievements of Taylor, who currently holds the record of 14 world championships. But Van Gerwen, who will face Littler in a rematch of their final at the Premier League darts in Belfast on Thursday, scoffed at the idea that he could emulate the greats of the sport, including himself, and said it was too early for such comparisons.
"To Phil Taylor? Come on guys,” van Gerwen said, he told the press in Belfast. "Whatever he’s done is great. It's nice. You can't compare it with [Gary] Anderson, [Phil] Taylor, or me yet,”. He said Littler was in the same category as world No 1 Luke Humphries, saying their progress was a good thing for the sport but that talking them up too much risked disrespect to Taylor and Co. "Of course, in 10 years’ time we can have a different conversation, but not now," he added. "Whatever they do is phenomenal. It’s good for darts in general. But I think it takes away the respect of the Phil Taylors and all the other guys.".
The tension between Littler and Van Gerwen, who has lost to the youngster in seven of their last ten meetings, came after he slammed the sensation for turning up 45 minutes late to a press conference - insisting "he needs to learn". "[The PDC] need to stop treating him as a baby, yeah? He's not a baby any more. He's 18 years old now. It happens. He has to learn but he needs to learn the hard way. "It's a professional sport so you have to be responsible for your actions as well, simple as that. If he turns up late for an interview, I don't really mind, but now seven other people are waiting for him. That's not really nice, is it?".
