Luke Littler’s rivals should be replaced in the Premier League if they continue to be too respectful to the teenage starlet.
That is the view of retired star Vincent van der Voort, who insists there are too many ‘fanboys’ of the 18-year-old on the PDC circuit.
Littler is undoubtedly the biggest draw in darts having created history in January by becoming the youngest world champion.
He then scooped the UK Open earlier his month – his fifth major of an already incredible career – while coming out on top in three out of the last four Premier League nights.
Many in the game recognise Littler as not just being arguably the world’s best player on form, but the potential to be darts’ greatest player.
And Van der Voort singled out Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall as being too nice to Littler on the oche, instead of looking to get in the youngster’s head.
Bunting was slammed by fans and ex-players over regularly fist-bumping and shaking Littler’s hand during his World Championship semi-final defeat.
Meanwhile Aspinall, a close friend of Littler’s, has previously thrown his darts on the floor in astonishment after losing to the Warrington native – before greeting him with open arms.
It’s not something that Van der Voort wants to see, as the 2007 UK Opne runner-up said on the Darts Draait Door podcast: “Every little thing, they’re giving him fist bumps or smiles.”
Van der Voort also believes that his Dutch compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode – ranked as the world’s No.19 – is a better fit for the Premier League over Bunting and Aspinall as he stressed he would increase the competitiveness.
He remarked: “Compared to some of the players in it now, I’d much rather watch Dirk.
“There’s always something happening when he plays.
“Some players just show up and act like the perfect son-in-law, but that doesn’t bring much excitement.
“There are too many Littler fanboys right now, so it would be great to see Dirk in the mix.
“He steps up to compete against him and does everything to win.”
Littler, Bunting and Aspinall return to action on Thursday in Berlin for the ninth week of the Premier League.
The Manchester United fan, who lifted the title last year, currently sits top of the eight-man pile – eight points clear of world No.1 Luke Humphries.
But while Littler has dazzled, Aspinall and Bunting have struggled for form.
Bunting is incredibly without a win having been knocked out in each of his quarter-final ties.
As for Aspinall, he has won six matches, but has so far failed to win a night and is outside of the top four at the halfway stage of the league phase.
