Gian van Veen has made it clear that he does not feel the need to sit down with Luke Littler to smooth over the disagreement that erupted during Night Nine of the Premier League in Manchester. The incident, which took place in early April, saw Littler lose his composure after his opponent turned toward him while throwing match darts in a decisive leg. Van Veen, the Dutch No.1, described Littler’s reaction as "out of order" because he was "celebrating towards the crowd".
That comment caused Van Veen to stare at Littler, who 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 during a live Sky Sports broadcast at 6 p.m. He insisted 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 while the leg was still in progress.
Littler also argued that Van Veen had no right to stare at him before he had thrown his three darts. Despite hearing Littler’s version, Van Veen’s stance has not shifted, although he says there are no hard feelings on his part. "It’s a difficult one. For me, I don’t really need a conversation.
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 told Sky Sports.
He added that if Littler wants to bury the hatchet, that is fine, but he does not feel any animosity. "He has his opinion and he is entitled to it.
I still have mine," Van Veen said, noting that he has reviewed the video footage and stands by his original assessment. "It is what it is and we just have to go forward with it." Van Veen has been a prominent figure in the darts community over the past few weeks, enjoying the drama that surrounds the sport but preferring to watch from the sidelines rather than be directly involved.
"I enjoy it, but only if I’m not involved. I think that’s best for me," he explained. He believes a little bit of controversy can be good for the game, yet he does not want to become the centre of it. Looking ahead, Van Veen is eager for his next encounter with Littler, anticipating that his opponent will come out even more fired up and possibly average 110‑112 against him.
"I’m especially looking forward to playing him next, hopefully tomorrow. For sure we can be friends in the future. There are no hard feelings from my side. It all happened in the heat of the moment and we each have our opinions, that’s how it goes," he said.
Michael van Gerwen, often called the "Green Machine," weighed in on the saga, suggesting that the media has blown the incident out of proportion. He pointed out that if the spat were truly monumental, he and Phil Taylor would have dominated headlines after their own heated exchanges. "People love to make a story out of everything. I’ve done countless interviews over the years and I know what people want to hear, but this is absolutely nothing.
Nothing really happened. Otherwise, I’d be in the papers with Phil Taylor every week," van Gerwen remarked, emphasizing that emotions run high in darts but that this particular flashpoint was relatively minor. The discussion continued on the "Love The Darts" podcast, where hosts Michael Bridge and Chris Murphy dissected the fallout.
Murphy suggested that the key is to "park it and move on," noting that the tension spilled over into the following week and that Littler needs to put the episode behind him and refocus on his primary skill: winning matches. Bridge added that Littler enjoys playing the villain role, likening him to a WWE antagonist, and that the crowd’s reaction—booing him—might even boost his profile. He expressed concern that the negative attention could affect Littler’s performance, citing a dip in his average (83.0 against Stephen Bunting in Brighton) as a potential warning sign. Littler himself admitted he expects a chilly reception in Rotterdam, as he has previously faced hostile crowds in Liverpool, Leeds, and Brighton.
He told Online Darts that he anticipates being booed again but plans to shrug it off and focus on his game. "I’ll give it a bit if I win, but I’m learning. I just play my game and see how it plays out," he said.
He also noted that he didn’t prepare much for the Brighton match because of the hostile atmosphere, but he hopes to improve his form and collect more points in the upcoming weeks. He referenced Jonny Clayton’s comment about chasing the top four, indicating his own ambition to climb back into contention. For Van Veen, this Rotterdam night holds special significance. He first experienced the Premier League atmosphere in 2016 when the inaugural night was held at the Ahoy, witnessing Raymond van Barneveld’s iconic walk‑on.
Now, as the Dutch No.1 and world No.3, Van Veen is eager to replicate that feeling on stage. "I’m very excited. 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 is a dream come true," he told Sky Sports. He hopes to avoid meeting Michael van Gerwen in the quarter‑finals so he can enjoy the moment on his own terms, though that did not happen. Nevertheless, he looks forward to stepping onto the Ahoy stage and discussing the experience with van Gerwen to better prepare himself.
The Premier League moves across the English Channel to Rotterdam for another crucial night of action. Dutch No.1 Gian van Veen will host Luke Humphries on his first home‑soil Premier League appearance, while Michael van Gerwen faces Jonny Clayton. Luke Littler will clash with Gerwyn Price in a pivotal match near the top of the table, and Stephen Bunting hopes to advance 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 determine the top four who will advance to the Finals Night at The O2 in London on 28 May.
In summary, while the Littler‑Van Veen spat generated plenty of headlines and fan reaction, both players appear ready to move forward. Van Veen maintains his original viewpoint but harbours no resentment, and Littler accepts the boos as part of the sport’s drama, focusing instead on improving his performance and climbing the league table. The upcoming Rotterdam showdown promises more high‑stakes darts, and fans can look forward to seeing how the rivalry evolves on the oche.