‘It's becoming a real issue' – Luke Littler fired career warning over ‘draining' problem
The teen sensation was heavily jeered at the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt before suffering a shock at the hands of
Germany
to exit the tournament in the second round.
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Littler is the youngest person to ever lift the World Championship trophy
Credit: Getty
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He won his first title at senior level when he was just 14
Credit: Getty
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The prodigy is also a proud Manchester United fan
Credit: PA
World No2 Littler was also heckled during a Premier League visit to Berlin earlier this year and received a negative reception in Hildesheim on the European Tour.
He said: 'It's becoming a real issue, especially when you consider how long his career could be.
'He was getting booed a lot in
Germany
at first, but now it's spreading. I was in New York last weekend and even there, the crowd was giving him a hard time.'
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Five-times major winner Littler reached the quarter-final of the US Masters but was knocked out by Nathan Aspinall despite averaging 109 and thumping in six 180s.
Van der Voort recalls Littler looking frustrated after the World Series event due to the heckling he faced from the Madison Square Garden crowd.
He added: 'He wasn't happy at all. The truth is, he's only really popular in
England
– and not even everywhere there. Outside of the UK, he's getting booed pretty much everywhere now, including in the US.
'There's got to be a shift. You don't want to be travelling from tournament to tournament and feel like no one's behind you. That's draining, especially at his age.'
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Van der Voort pointed to Littler's on-stage showmanship and off-stage comments as reasons for the growing backlash.
Being made an MBE shows I've helped 'change face of darts' says Luke Humphries
He admitted: 'It's the things he says and the way he carries himself. They're not helping his cause.
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'You can turn people against you quickly in this sport if you're not careful.'
The Dutchman stressed the importance of Littler having the right support system.
He explained: 'It's unfortunate he doesn't seem to have the right people around him — people who can guide him, help him make better decisions, and teach him what's smart and what isn't.
'That's crucial at this stage. When you're 18, you think you know it all. But you don't. Later in life, you realise your parents were right about a lot more than you gave them credit for.'
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