LUKE LITTLER has brutally struck back at a darts coach and pundit who slammed him and fellow pro Stephen Bunting.
The coach had slammed the world champion on the Mission Darts Podcast with Matt Edgar after he chose to participate in the World Youth Championship last week.
A former darts pro turned coach labelled his appearance at the tournament ‘ridiculous’ in a rant on the show.
He said of the performance: “Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. It was a bit like, ‘Look at me, look at me, look at me. Everything is about me.’
“I didn’t like it one little bit. Somebody should have got hold of him and said, ‘You’re doing the wrong thing here, Luke. You’re taking away somebody else’s chance.’
“You should not be playing in the youth anymore when you’re world champion.”
Cornwall pulled no punches in his assessment of the young star, who returned the favour in a snappy statement uploaded to his Instagram story, where he boasts a following of almost two million people.
He said: “Andy Cornwall (apparently a darts coach and does work for Darts Corner or something), seen he said something about Bunting yesterday about where he stands and stuff, and now saying stuff about me.
“What an absolute helmet of a bloke and I don’t know him.”
Littler went on to lose at the tournament to up-and-coming thrower Beau Greaves.
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
He took the loss in good fun and praised Greaves following the result, although he did snap on social media towards a fan claiming Greaves should not be allowed a tour card due to being a woman.
As blunt as Cornwall appeared to Littler, he was even harsher to fan-favourite darts star Bunting.
The coach slated the 40-year-old’s signature technique and said he was not surprised to see him struggle in the tour’s biggest events.
He said: “Commentators again were surprised in the World Grand Prix that Bunting hasn’t won more majors. I’m sat there and I’m not. I’m not surprised at all, and I love Stephen.
“I used to practice with him years ago and I’ve played with him a few times, but I’m not surprised. He’s another Wes Newton. He stands in the wrong place.”
Bunting is known for his offset stance when he is throwing, which he attributes to having to use an off-centre dartboard as a child.
Cornwall continued: “Sorry, but you’re never going to be consistent standing two feet to the right of the oche. You’re not.
“You’re a brilliant player, a thousand times better than what I ever was. But you are not going to be as consistent as a Michael van Gerwen, a Luke Littler, a Luke Humphries who’s standing in the middle.
“Both sides of the board are the same distance. Standing two feet to the right is ridiculous. And you’re never going to win multiple majors. Sorry, that’s my rant about Stephen.”
