Former world champ fears Littler could retire from darts at just 30

GLEN DURRANT fears Luke Littler could retire from darts at just 30 despite becoming the biggest star on the oche.

The former Premier League champion believes The Nuke could reach his peak at around that age before deciding he no longer wants the grind of life on the oche.

Littler, 19, has already become world No1 and one of the most recognisable faces in Britain after reaching the World Championship final aged just 16.

The Warrington whizkid has already lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy twice and is the sport’s third-most successful player, with 14 Premier event titles to his name.

But Durrant believes money, a young family and Littler’s incredible success could eventually leave him questioning whether he still wants to practise and travel the world.

He told OLBG: “I’ve said 10 years. Maybe to the age of 30. And that’s probably when he’s going to be at his peak.

“When you start adding attributes like experience and things like that, I feel darts players are reaching their peak between 30 and 40. I really do.

“But I just don’t see him going the distance, because it’s the motivational side of things.

“When you get set for life, when he’s going to have a young family, do I really want to go and have to practise?

“Do I really want to go to the European Tour? Do I really want to go to a Players Championship?

“I think he’d always miss the TV tournaments, but I just don’t see him winning 16 world titles.

“We’ll be talking about Luke Littler for the rest of our lives in the same breath as Eric Bristow, Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, this generational talent, this 16-year-old who reached the final.

“I think he’s maturing beautifully. I love his interviews.

“I watched an interview when he reached the final, when he was 16, and I think all he said was: ‘I can’t quite believe this is happening.’

“So he’s maturing nicely, but longevity? I don’t think so.”

Littler has also branched out beyond darts, making appearances on shows including A League of Their Own, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and The Jonathan Ross Show.

Duzza believes Littler has become much more than a darts player and would leave a huge void in the sport if he ever decided to walk away.

He added: “If he walked away tomorrow, he’d be an incredible loss. Littler feels a little bit special.

“I don’t think he’s a darts player anymore. I think he’s a celebrity. He’s one of the most recognised people in the UK.

“And it’s very difficult to try and talk darts generally when you’re talking about Littler, because he’s just so different to everybody else.

“(Winning) is a drug. So the answer, I think, is no. I think he would miss it.

“Gone are the days where he worries about money now, because he’s probably already got money to set him up for the rest of his life.

“But that feeling of lifting a trophy, it’s a real adrenaline rush that I think would be impossible to walk away from.

“Who knows what he’s got behind the scenes, endorsements and other things he’s doing?

“Do I think he’ll walk away? I don’t think he will. Would he be a massive miss? Almost irreplaceable.”

Image: Taylor Lanning