Over the past few months there has been a small but noticeable backlash against Luke Littler.
Not because anyone doubts his ability. Quite the opposite.
The argument from some fans is that he has become too good. That if he continues to dominate, tournaments become predictable and some of the excitement disappears.
If that sounds familiar, it should.
Phil Taylor heard exactly the same thing during his remarkable reign at the top. For the best part of two decades, many questioned whether anyone could consistently challenge him. Then came Michael van Gerwen, whose incredible peak included the record for the most consecutive PDC match victories.
Every sport goes through these periods. Great champions emerge, dominate, and people inevitably wonder whether anyone can stop them.
The difference this time?
I'm not convinced Luke Littler is about to enjoy the same level of unchallenged dominance.
Not because he isn't good enough.
But because the standard around him is rising faster than ever.
Henry Coates' breakthrough could be more significant than people realise
On 28 July, 20-year-old Henry Coates won his first Players Championship title.
Yes, a few of the biggest names weren't in attendance.
But let's not pretend this was a weakened event.
Players such as Chris Dobey, Wessel Nijman, Gian van Veen, Damon Heta and Jeffrey de Graaf were all part of the field, and Coates beat several high-quality opponents on his way to lifting the trophy.
What really caught my eye wasn't simply that he won.
It was how he won.
In the latter stages of the tournament his performances included averages of:
Those are not the numbers of someone scraping through on a fortunate day.
Those are elite-level performances under pressure.
I'm not suggesting Henry Coates is about to become a permanent member of the world's top 16 overnight. There were, after all, plenty of people who underestimated Luke Littler before he exploded onto the biggest stage.
But Coates has shown he possesses the scoring power, composure and temperament to compete with established professionals. It feels like the beginning of something rather than a one-off success.
He isn't alone
Perhaps the most exciting part isn't Henry Coates himself.
It's the company he keeps.
Across the game there is an extraordinary generation of young players developing at exactly the same time.
Luke Littler has already become World Champion.
Wessel Nijman continues to produce world-class performances.
Gian van Veen looks increasingly comfortable against the very best.
Niko Springer is emerging as one of Germany's brightest prospects.
Sebastian Bialecki continues to develop into a serious force.
Charlie Manby, Owen Bates, Jurjen van der Velde, Cam Crabtree, Beau Greaves and several others are all progressing at an impressive rate.
This isn't one exceptional youngster.
It's an entire generation.
The evidence is there
One of the advantages of maintaining the Q4QS rankings is being able to look beyond television appearances and headlines.
The numbers often reveal trends before they become obvious.
Current Q4QS rankings already show several younger players climbing into elite company.
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Wessel Nijman sits at No. 4.
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Sebastian Bialecki is already No. 7.
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Owen Bates has climbed into the Top 25.
These aren't junior rankings.
These players are producing performances comparable with some of the most established names in world darts.
Every month the gap appears to be closing.
Experience still matters
While the young stars attract most of the headlines, there's another fascinating story developing.
Several experienced players appear to have found another gear.
No one demonstrates that better than Derek Coulson.
After years of playing at a consistently high level, he recently won every match during his MODUS Super Series qualifying week before going on to lift Champions Week—defeating none other than Henry Coates along the way.
The Q4QS rankings also reflect that consistency, placing Coulson inside the current Top 15.
Players such as Andrew Gilding continue to prove that experience counts for plenty, while James Wade remains one of the most difficult competitors in world darts despite many predicting his decline years ago.
Even outside the televised circuit, the standard among experienced county players, Challenge Tour regulars and long-time competitors appears stronger than ever.
Many have decided that now is the time to make one serious push.
That only increases the depth of competition.
Why the standard is rising
Today's players have opportunities that barely existed fifteen years ago.
Development Tour.
Challenge Tour.
Women's Series.
MODUS Super Series.
ADC competitions.
JDC pathways.
Vault tournaments.
Regional ranking systems.
Live streaming.
Detailed statistics.
Players are gaining more high-quality competitive experience than previous generations could ever have imagined.
That experience breeds confidence.
Confidence breeds better performances.
And better performances raise the overall standard of the sport.
So will Luke Littler dominate for years?
Quite possibly.
He may well remain the world's best player for a long time.
His talent is undeniable.
But I don't believe the next decade will resemble the eras dominated almost entirely by Phil Taylor or Michael van Gerwen.
The chasing pack feels deeper.
It feels younger.
And perhaps most importantly, it feels hungrier.
Looking through my own database, there are an increasing number of players regularly producing averages in the 90s, the mid-90s and even beyond 100 in competitive environments.
That depth simply didn't exist to the same extent a generation ago.
The margin between the very best and the next wave is shrinking.
An exciting future
Luke Littler deserves every accolade he receives.
He has transformed the sport, attracted new audiences and raised expectations of what is possible.
But rather than making darts less exciting, I believe he may be doing the opposite.
He has raised the bar so high that an entire generation is now determined to reach it.
Henry Coates' breakthrough could be remembered as another milestone rather than an isolated success.
There will undoubtedly be more names to emerge over the next few years—some young, some experienced, all capable of challenging the established order.
For me, that's what makes this such an exciting time to follow darts.
The current world number one may still be Luke Littler.
But the queue lining up behind him has never looked stronger.
