Van Veen Unmoved by Littler Dispute, No Need for Reconciliation

Gian van Veen has made it clear that he sees no reason to sit down with Luke Littler to smooth over the tension that erupted during Night Nine of the Premier League in Manchester. The Dutch star, who emerged victorious in a highly debated encounter in early April, said he has no intention of reopening the conversation, maintaining the stance he first expressed two weeks after the incident. The controversy began when Littler, after missing a crucial double, reacted angrily as his opponent turned toward him while preparing his own match darts in a dramatic deciding leg.

Van Veen told Sky Sports that Littler’s celebratory gesture toward the crowd was "out of order," prompting him to stare back at the Englishman. Littler then missed his own match darts at double and ultimately lost the match. Ahead of this week’s Premier League Darts event in Rotterdam, Littler finally offered his side of the story on live Sky Sports coverage. He claimed his celebrations were aimed at his girlfriend and his father, not at the audience, and he labeled van Veen a "cry baby" for putting his darts down before the leg was finished.

Littler also suggested there was "no need" for van Veen to stare at him while he still had three darts to throw. Despite hearing Littler’s explanation, van Veen’s view remains unchanged.

"It’s a difficult one. For myself, not really – I don’t need a conversation," he said. "He said his piece the other day.

I still have the same view as I had two weeks ago when it all happened." Van Veen added that he holds no hard feelings toward Littler and is willing to let the matter rest. "If he wants to bury the hatchet, fine. I don’t have any hard feelings towards him and I don’t know how it is the other way around, but we will see how it goes," he explained. "He has his opinion and he is entitled to it.

I still have mine. I have looked back at it, I have seen the videos and I still stand by my opinion. It is what it is and we just have to go forward with it." The Dutchman has been at the centre of darts’ media spotlight over the past few weeks. While he enjoys the occasional drama that the sport brings, van Veen prefers to stay on the sidelines rather than become a direct participant in any on‑stage conflict.

"I enjoy it, but only if I’m not involved. I think that’s the best for me," he said.

"I think it is good for the sport to have a bit of needle here and there, but you never want to be involved." Looking ahead, van Veen expressed excitement about the upcoming clash with Littler, acknowledging that his opponent will likely come out even more fired up. "Of course, I am looking forward to the next time I’m playing him.

He will probably be fired up even more, he will probably average 110 or 112 against me but that is how good he is. I am especially looking forward to playing him next, hopefully tomorrow. For sure we can be friends in the future. Like I said, there is no hard feelings from my side.

It all happened in the heat of the moment and he has got his opinion, I have got mine, that is how it goes." Michael van Gerwen, a fellow Dutchman and one of the sport’s biggest names, weighed in on the controversy, suggesting that the media had blown the incident out of proportion. "If that were a big incident, then Phil Taylor and I would have been in the papers every week after our fiery clashes," the "Green Machine" said. "People love to make a story out of a million little incidents. This is absolutely nothing.

Nothing really happened. Otherwise I could be in the paper with Phil Taylor every week, you know that.

It’s also emotions, things like that. It happens." The spat was also a topic of discussion on the Love The Darts podcast, where hosts Michael Bridge and Chris Murphy dissected the fallout.

Murphy observed, "It’s really about whether we can park it and move on. It spilled over into the next week, and it’s about whether Littler can put that to one side and get back to what he’s good at – winning darts matches." Bridge added, "Littler likes the WWE‑style villain role. I don’t see any problem with needle whatsoever. Gian is a nice, mild‑mannered guy and I think it didn’t help in terms of what Luke did.

99.9 % of the people booing him, if they see him outside, they’ll want a picture." Bridge also noted that the incident seemed to affect Littler’s performance, citing a dip in his average against Stephen Bunting in Brighton (83.0) and expressing concern that the drama could spiral out of control for the young Englishman. Littler himself addressed the upcoming Rotterdam night, expecting a chilly reception from Dutch fans. In an interview with Online Darts he said, "I’m expecting the worst anyway.

When I go to Liverpool, Leeds, just expect the worst. If the crowd’s not that bad, then you take it on the chin but I expect the worst.

Even in Brighton when everyone was booing me, I just shrugged my shoulders, and in my head I was like, ‘It’s been a week, why haven’t you forgotten about it?’ I didn’t react to the fans during the game. In Rotterdam I will give it a bit if I win. I’m sure I will get booed. I’m learning, I just play my game and see how it plays out." He continued, "I can be as good as I want.

I didn’t have much preparation for Brighton. I didn’t want to be there because of the fans, but that’s going to happen.

I’m sure this week will be the same from the crowd. I’ll definitely somehow get better. Hopefully we need to get a few more points on the board, a few nightly wins. Like Jonny said, ‘I’m chasing him now.’ Jonny Clayton said he’s only bothered about top four, so I can definitely go chasing for that top spot again.

I’ll definitely come alive and hopefully I can come alive these next few weeks." Van Veen, now in his debut season on the Premier League, is no stranger to the Rotterdam Ahoy venue, having attended the inaugural night in 2016 when Raymond van Barneveld made his iconic walk‑on. He recalled the memory fondly and said the chance to experience that moment himself is a dream come true. "As a kid, the first time it was ever held in the Ahoy Rotterdam, I was there in the crowd with the legendary Raymond van Barneveld walk‑on.

Now to get to experience that myself, it is something I am very much looking forward to, especially as Dutch No 1, world No 3, it is a dream coming true. My only hope for Rotterdam was to not play Michael in the quarters so I can experience it on my own; thankfully it didn’t happen.

So I can experience it on my own and to walk out on that stage is going to be something I’m really looking forward to and I’ll probably discuss with Michael a little bit how it feels, so I can be a little bit prepared." The Premier League continues to travel across the English Channel, with Rotterdam hosting another decisive night of darts. Gian van Veen will face Luke Humphries on his first home‑soil Premier League appearance, while Michael van Gerwen squares off against Jonny Clayton.

Luke Littler meets Gerwyn Price in a crucial top‑table battle, and Stephen Bunting hopes to push further toward the Play‑Offs against Josh Rock. Points are awarded each night—five for the winner, three for the runner‑up, and two for each semi‑finalist—to build the league table, with the top four advancing to the Finals Night at The O2 in London on 28 May. Fans can follow the drama each Thursday on Sky Sports or stream the action via NOW.