Gary Anderson takes swipe at media as he sends X-rated warning ...
Gary Anderson has sent an explicit message directed at the media as attention grows on Luke Littler's progress at the PDC World Championship.
Littler has been the story of the tournament at Alexandra Palace this year, reaching the last-16.
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At the age of 16, it makes him the youngest player to ever get this far, with the teenager to meet darts legend Raymond van Barneveld next.
And the winner of that clash could face Anderson in the quarter-final, with the two-time PDC world champ to take on Brendan Dolan in his next clash.
However, the Flying Scotsman has issued a firm warning to the media over their praise of Littler.
After beating Boris Krcmar on Friday night, he said in his press conference: "I'm going to say this now, we had another youngster called Josh Rock that all you press and everything else have absolutely destroyed.
"So if it ever goes t*** up with Luke, then give yourselves a pat on the back, because that's the way it's going. Let the boy play darts.
"I've been downstairs today, he's had cameras, zoom calls, Sky meetings. Let the boy play darts.
"He's had a great tournament, he's done well, but what happens if it goes Pete Tong now? You boys have ruined it, haven't you?
"So let the boy play darts, he's 16-years-old, playing well, and just like Josh Rock, a fantastic player, but you've knocked him back by two or three years."
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Anderson was then pressed as to what reporters are meant to do with Litter playing this well, to which he remarked: "You have no idea how many young dart players we see coming through the system with people saying 'this is going to be the next best thing'.
"Pressure goes on them, all goes Pete Tong, where are they now? We've seen it in the past.
"You go through over darts in the last ten years, how many youngsters have come through that you have all said, 'This is going to be the next big thing'. Where are they?"
As Anderson warned, Rock was a darts superstar last year after reaching the fourth round at the age of 21 with many believing that he could be the next big thing.
He saw his fame skyrocket after hitting a nine-darter against Michael van Gerwen a month before at the Grand Slam.
While he is still just 22, the Northern Irishman has not had the same media limelight this time round and crashed out to Berry van Peer in the second round.
It has led to Anderson reserving his judgement on Littler for now, while at 53, he continues to prove that age is just a number as well.
Asked what kept him going, he said: "Sky, saying I'm finished. Unlucky for you I'm not done yet, I keep trying."
