LITTLER MANAGEMENT QUESTIONED AFTER VAN VEEN ROW
09/04/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
LUKE LITTLER should have his phone taken off him, according to ex-pro Vincent van der Voort.
The Nuke was involved in a bust-up with Gian van Veen last week in the Premier League at Manchester.
World No.3 Van Veen appeared to take issue with Littler gesturing to the crowd after he missed a match dart in their quarter-final clash.
The Dutchman eventually secured a 6-5 triumph before the pair exchanged a frosty handshake.
Van der Voort believes things escalated unnecessarily online and even questioned whether Littler has the right guidance around him.
He told the Darts Draait Door Podcast: “If Littler had just said afterwards, ‘That wasn’t smart,’ it would’ve been nothing.
“But then he continues on social media, showing off what he’s won… but yeah, he’s still a kid.
“It suggests he might not have the right people around him to tell him, ‘Don’t do that.’
“That’s the real issue. Someone should just take his phone away for a bit—it’s not that complicated.”
The former UK Open finalist also warned Littler will quickly learn the pressures of life at the top.
He added: “He’s still only 19 years old. But he’s competing at the top level now, among adults. So he’ll be judged like one.
“If you’re winning everything, you start to feel like you can do anything. That’s normal.
“You don’t notice the pressure or the crowd. But when results drop, it becomes a different story.
“Look at Gerwyn Price—he knows what it’s like when the crowd turns against you every week. It can really affect you.”
Van der Voort believes the situation between the two youngsters will quickly settle down, but he reckons the tension has been great for the sport and has really added to the rivalry.
He continued: “In the end, this will all be resolved quickly. It’s really nothing major.
“That’s what you want. A bit more edge, some verbal back-and-forth. That’s what sport is about.
“Why is Rangers vs Celtic so great? Not because they like each other. Same with Ajax vs Feyenoord—it’s about tension. That’s what makes it interesting.”
Image by Taylor Lanning.
