Littler Explains 'Cry Baby' Remark Directed at Van Veen

Luke Littler has shed light on the reason behind his 'cry baby' comment aimed at Gian van Veen following their intense Premier League Darts match in Manchester. Littler believes Van Veen essentially gave up towards the end of the match, prompting the remark. The controversy began when Van Veen won a contentious match earlier in April, during which Littler reacted angrily after Van Veen turned towards him while throwing match darts in a dramatic deciding leg. Van Veen had stated that Littler was 'out of order' for celebrating towards the crowd, which caused him to stare at Littler. However, Littler has now shared his side of the story ahead of the Premier League Darts in Rotterdam. He explained that as he walked back, he was still looking towards the crowd, and Van Veen had put his darts down, which Littler felt was disrespectful. Littler questioned Van Veen's actions, saying there was no need for him to put his darts down or stare at him when he still had not thrown his three darts. Littler also mentioned that when Van Veen won, he congratulated him and said 'well done, you got the win'. Littler stated there was 'no need' for Van Veen to stare at him and that he should have just focused on his game. He added that he was looking up at the TV, thinking Van Veen would not miss his shot, and that he did a little fist bump towards his girlfriend and her dad, which is when the fans started screaming. Littler felt that Van Veen's stare was unnecessary, especially since he still had a dart in hand. Littler had a poor performance last week in Brighton, producing his worst televised average, which he attributed to a lack of practice and not wanting to be there. Van Veen also lost his first match, and the pair did not speak to each other, practicing in different rooms, which Littler says is normal. Littler believes that other incidents in darts have been more heated than his exchange with Van Veen and that their rivalry will likely continue. He thinks their rivalry will draw more viewers and create a more exciting competition.