Littler Explains 'Cry Baby' Remark Aimed at Van Veen

Luke Littler has shed light on the incident that led him to label Gian van Veen a 'cry baby' following their intense Premier League Darts match in Manchester. According to Littler, Van Veen essentially conceded at the end of the match, prompting Littler's harsh words. The controversy began when Van Veen won a disputed match earlier in April, during which Littler reacted angrily after Van Veen turned towards him while throwing match darts in the decisive leg. Van Veen had told Sky Sports that Littler was 'out of order' for celebrating towards the crowd, which led him to stare at Littler. However, Littler has now shared his side of the story ahead of the Premier League Darts in Rotterdam, where the two could potentially meet in the semi-finals. Littler stated that as he walked back around, he was still looking towards the crowd, and Van Veen had put his darts down, which Littler felt was disrespectful. Littler believes Van Veen was the one not doing his job and being respectful. He also mentioned that when Van Veen won, he congratulated him and said 'well done, you got the win'. Littler further explained that there was no need for Van Veen to stare at him when he still had not thrown his three darts. He added that from his perspective, he was looking up at the TV, thinking that Van Veen would not miss, given his reputation as one of the best bull hitters in the game. Littler also stated that he did a little fist bump towards his girlfriend and her dad, which is when the fans started screaming. However, he felt that Van Veen had no need to look back and stare at him, as he still had a dart in hand. Littler produced his worst televised average last week in Brighton, which he attributed to a lack of practice and not wanting to be there. Van Veen also lost his first match, and the two did not speak to each other, practicing in different rooms, which Littler considers normal. Littler believes that other incidents in darts have been more heated than his exchange with Van Veen, citing arguments between Gerwyn Price and Daryl Gurney. He thinks that the rivalry between him and Van Veen will draw more viewers and create a more exciting competition.