LITTLER ADVISED OVER GERMANY BOYCOTT

By Aaron Nijjar

LUKE LITTLER has come under fire after hinting he will not play another tournament in Germany until the European Championship in October.

Five-time major winner Littler made the announcement on Instagram after losing to Gian van Veen in the semi-finals of the German Darts Grand Prix.

Warrington thrower Littler had been whistled and booed during his quarter-final victory over Joe Cullen.

To add insult to injury, the crowd inside the Kulturehalle Zenith cheered for Van Veen as he mounted an astonishing comeback to win 7-4 with a whopping 110 average.

After their bout ‘The Nuke’ posted a picture of the footwell of his car and wrote: “Shouldn’t have been in Munich but had to play anyway.

“Next one in Germany for me is Dortmund and I am glad to say that.”

Prior to the European Champs there is another European Grand Prix next month, the Baltic Sea Open and several Players Championship events all in Germany.

If Littler sticks to his plan, he’ll also MISS the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt from June 12-15.

World Champion Littler has never tasted glory in any pro tournament in the country.

Pro player Damian Vlottes criticised Littler’s reaction.

He said on the Darts Draait Door podcast: “It’s a bit childish to react like that, especially when you’re already a major champion at just eighteen.”

His co-host Vincent van der Voort showed a little more sympathy to Littler.

He admitted: “You have to remember, he’s still only eighteen. He’s not used to losing yet.”

However, Vlottes wasn’t so forgiving as he added: “He doesn’t handle defeat very well, does he?”

Former UK Open finalist Van der Voort believes Littler needs a mentor to help keep his emotions in check.

He said: “Honestly, no dart player handles losing well. I don’t even think Steve Beaton likes losing — he just hides it better than most. Littler struggled with that.

“He needs some coaching and guidance to help him manage those emotions better. Firing off a post like that on social media isn’t wise.

“In effect, he’s saying he won’t play anything until the European Championship, so that would include skipping the World Cup.”

Vlottes chipped in that the PDC will almost certainly step in if Littler decides to avoid the World Cup.

He revealed: “I’m sure the PDC will want a word with him — they must have been stunned.

“If you get an England vs Germany match, I can guarantee there’ll be some booing.”

Van der Voort concluded: “I’ll be curious to see if anyone asks him directly at the Premier League whether he intends to play the World Cup.

“That’s the question that needs to be put to him.”

Littler returns to action this Thursday at the Premier League in Birmingham on Night 13 when he faces Stephen Bunting.

World No. 2 Littler is searching for a record FIFTH nightly win and is four points clear at the top of the table ahead of big rival Luke Humphries.

Image by Taylor Lanning.