Former world number one Colin Lloyd has stirred the darts world by ranking Luke Littler third in his all-time greatest list, behind only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen. Speaking on the Odds-On Podcast, Lloyd was unequivocal: "Taylor, Van Gerwen, Littler. I have Luke Littler third at the minute." He justified the placing by pointing to Littler's relatively short time at the top: "He's only been on the circuit for two-and-a-bit years. You've got to look at someone like Phil Taylor – he had 25-30 years on the tour. MVG's been on the tour a long while as well."
Lloyd, a former World Matchplay and World Grand Prix champion, also identified the next generation of stars ready to break through. He named Scotland's Mitchell Lawrie, who he says is "breaking all of Luke Littler's records in the youth" and is expected at Q-School in January. Burnley's Kaya Baysal also earned high praise: "Kaya Baysal's an extremely good player also. So they're the two biggest names that are possibly going to be pushing through and trying to get a tour card for next year." But the most intriguing prospect, according to Lloyd, is 13 or 14-year-old Jack Johnson, nicknamed 'Jackie Boy', who recently won the WDF UK Men's Singles, beating PDC tour players Martin Lukeman and Owen Bates along the way. "He'll certainly be a player to look out for in the future," Lloyd said.
On Michael van Gerwen, Lloyd refused to speculate on the Dutchman's private life but backed him to add more majors. "Michael is the consummate pro. He's always got time for the fans. And he's also a 101% player when it comes to playing darts because he knows it's given him a good life. He still loves the game of darts. And he's just too good." Lloyd noted Van Gerwen's two World Series wins earlier this year as proof his top level remains: "I still think there are a few majors left in Michael."
Finally, Lloyd assessed Cameron Menzies' potential, comparing his scoring power to Gary Anderson but cautioning against expecting a similar career. "He's class, but I don't know about top three. He could definitely be in the top 10. He's a very, very good player, Cammy. He's a very heavy hitter." Lloyd drew parallels with Anderson's early career, where doubling let him down, and stressed that Menzies must control his emotions on stage: "You can always give people advice, but ultimately, you have to do it yourself. You have to control your emotions, and when you get opportunities you have to grab them yourself because no one's going to grab them for you."
