Raymond van Barneveld is not scared of Luke Littler as he reveals plan to halt World No.1 bid
The Dutch legend has issued a warning to The Nuke over making tasty statements as he prepares for another potentially-feisty night in Germany.
Raymond van Barneveld reckons he's the old dog who can muzzle young pup Luke Littler’s World No.1 bid.
And the Dutch legend has issued a warning to The Nuke over making tasty statements as he prepares for another potentially-feisty night in Germany.
World Champion Littler can complete his run to the summit of the game by overtaking Luke Humphries and hitting top spot in the rankings for the first time.
Barney can ruin that plan when he faces the teenager in tonight's first-round cracker at the Euro Finals and the veteran isn’t frightened by the challenge.
He said: “I’m not scared of him. I know he’s an amazing player. I’m just going to go prepare myself like any other game and see what happens.
“It doesn’t matter who I play. There’s always a chance. you can beat them. I believe that everyone knows, but I’m not the youngest anymore.
“I’m 58 years old. I’m playing against an 18-year-old with full energy. I’m like an old dog. Like a younger dog, they want to play, they’re exciting. But an older dog is like: Guys, leave me alone. That’s a bit harder at the moment.
“You don’t have the 100 per cent focus I used to have in all these years because you grow older. Your muscles go different. We all spoke about my diabetes. That’s still not right. You have many dips and concentration problems.
“In all honesty, the schedule at the moment is insane. I got back last Sunday and I left home on September 24th. So that was a month on tour. I think that’s a little bit too much. I’m not in a position that I can’t skip tournaments because then I’m dropping the rankings already, so I need to play everything like I can.
“First game is Luke. You’ve got your hands full on that, of course. If you beat him, then Gary Anderson or Cameron Menzies are waiting. And if you beat them, it’s either James Waite, Luke Humphries. So, well, first game’s first.
“If I can beat the current world champion and the world number two, that would have been a massive, massive result, of course. I don’t look further yet because that’s no point.
“It’s not like the old Ray anymore. I have to be realistic. For the last two years, all the majors, I go out in the first round.
“If you play best of 19, best of 21, normally the better player will win. Best of 11, it can go either way.”
Barney’s reference to Littler and the crowds comes after The Nuke said in May he wouldn’t return until this event after German crowds baited and hounded him. The kid did then go to Frankfurt for the World Cup and was subsequently slaughtered by home fans.
The Dutch ace joked: “Are we all sure he [Littler] is there? Because I heard that playing in Germany is not really a thing!"
But then he added: “I don’t think it’s clever to say I don’t like to play here or there. But he’s young, we all know this and you have to learn.
“Also, with supporting football teams, I don’t think it’s clever, because if you play at your local football team area, they support you. But if you play somewhere else, you get booed.
“So, in a sort of a political way, you always have to be, I don’t know, saying: Oh, I just support England. Or I support Holland. Don’t get your political things in it, because people have something to talk to.
“I’m not going to rely on anything like: Oh the crowd is with me, so I’m going to do this easy. Of course not.
“If they boo him, maybe he straightens his back and hits another couple of 11 darts out of frustration.”
Littler announced himself by beating Barney at the Worlds as a 16-year-old and the Holland hero added: “I was really flabbergasted that a young kid played so good against one of his heroes. I have respect for that. Now two years later, he’s on top of his level. He wins what he wants to win.”