Phil Taylor has issued a stark warning to Luke Littler about the hostile treatment that comes with being darts' biggest star, revealing he has had to consult a dictionary to understand abuse hurled at him from the crowd. The 16-time world champion, who is preparing for a highly anticipated return to the sport, spoke to talkSPORT about the realities of life at the top ahead of his comeback at the MODUS Super Series.
Taylor, who last played a PDC match in the 2018 PDC World Darts Championship final, losing 7-2 to Rob Cross, will represent England alongside two-time world champion Adrian Lewis in the International Pairs tournament in Portsmouth. The pair have won the World Cup of Darts on four separate occasions, but Taylor admitted he is struggling to rediscover his best form just seven weeks before the event. "I'm trying my best," he said. "I'm practicing, I'm doing everything properly. I just ain't got it at the moment. It's not there. I retired in 2019 and have done a few exhibitions since. I've hung my darts up for four or five years so to get my form back is very difficult."
Drawing on his own experiences, the 66-year-old advised Littler to adapt quickly to the hostility he now faces. "You've got to get used to it," Taylor commented. "I've had things shouted at me and I've had to look in the dictionary to see what they meant. You're thinking 'what are you on about?'" He pointed to recent scenes in Amsterdam, where the crowd was savage and gave Littler no breathing room, and even in England, where fans seemed to cheer on Luke Woodhouse, who dumped the 19-year-old out of the World Grand Prix.
Taylor also highlighted the role gambling plays in the abuse, explaining: "It's just sport and it's gambling as well, a lot of people gamble. If young Luke gets beat then obviously people win money. They always have a little bet against him because he's always big odds. It was the same when I was playing. It's something he's got to get used to. If not, he'll make his money then he'll walk away."