Legendary darts player Phil Taylor has backed Luke Littler to beat his record of 16 World Darts Championship titles – but only if he can overcome the ‘Manchester United syndrome’.
The 17-year-old stunned the sporting world when he became the youngest player to win the world championship after a 7-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen earlier this month.
After winning the trophy at the Alexandra Palace, having finished runners-up the year before, Littler pledged to topple Taylor’s total of 16 world titles.
Rather than bristling at the thought of losing his crown as darts supremo, Taylor has urged Littler to best his record.
Phil Taylor has urged Luke Littler to break his World Championship record
PA/Reuters
The 64-year-old said: “If he wants to beat my world record, then he can go ahead and do it.
“It’s going to be difficult, to win 16 titles you are going to have to be in a lot of finals. It’s a lot of darts, a lot of hotels, a lot of miles travelling.
“He’d have to play for the next 20 years to get close to my record and for 20 years he’s got to be dedicated and make sure he does everything right.
“It’s difficult when you are young and you have money in the bank. I was 30 when I won for the first time, so I’d done all that before.
“You get what I used to call the Man Utd syndrome – and Liverpool have got it as well – where everybody raises their game against you, so you have to be at your best in every round.
“And it can take its toll on you. Especially when you get beaten because everyone questions you: ‘Why did he lose? What was wrong with him? Why has his bubble burst?’.
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“Everybody loves to see you up there, and then they love seeing you get knocked off as well.
“It’s how you take it, but I think he is mentally strong enough to deal with it.
“I’ve had my day but I would have loved to play Luke at my best, we’d have had a cracking game. I think I’d have beaten him but I’m not sure!”
While Taylor is regarded as the best player to ever pick up a dart, Littler’s impact on the sport has been monumental.
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Luke Littler became the youngest darts world champion at 17 earlier this month
Reuters
After breaking onto the scene last year at the World Championship, the teenager became a worldwide phenomenon and has brought more eyes on the sport than ever before.
Last year’s final saw 4.8 million people tune in to see Luke Humphries beat Littler; the highest figure for a darts event that Sky have ever recorded.
But Taylor is not bitter about Littler’s superstardom – far from it – as he added: “Darts has gone crazy. You wouldn’t believe the difference since young Luke came along.
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Phil Taylor has 16 World Championship titles to his name
PA
“I’m fine about it, I’m too old for all that stuff now. I’ve had 40 years in my career, it can come and it can go.
“I have nothing but credit for the lad, I think the world of him.
“I think it’s great to see darts so popular. I’m fine, I’m loving my life.”
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