PDC Star Admits He's 'Lost Love' for Darts in Brutally Honest Interview
A player described by the PDC as one of darts' most talented stars has admitted he's "lost a lot of love" for the game and doesn't enjoy competing as much as he should.
Joe Cullen, who is currently ranked No. 32 on the PDC Order of Merit, will compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy this winter after booking his spot at the biggest-ever World Darts Championship.
"The Rockstar" will find out his first-round opponent next week, with the draw being made in London on November 24.
A record-breaking 128 players will feature at the Alexandra Palace, and Cullen will be hoping to improve on his finish in 2024, when he missed two darts at double 18 to win his fourth round clash against Luke Humphries.
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There is no doubting Cullen's talent on the oche, but the Bradford-born thrower has struggled for motivation in recent times.
In fact, he opened up on his current frame of mind in a candid interview with YouTube channel Online Darts. "I've had a tough couple of years, on the board and away from darts," said Cullen.
"I'm in this predicament because of me. It's not your fault or anyone else's fault. There's only me that could put it right. But I think the last few years, I've lost a lot of love for the game. I don't enjoy playing darts as much as I should."
"There were times when I used to look forward to playing darts, but now, I look forward to having the craic with the lads more," he added. "I think I'd miss that more than the darts. And that's not right.
"If you want to be successful in this game, it's not right to have that attitude. But that's where it is at the moment. That's the reality."
Joe Cullen explains how Luke Littler's rise has changed the game
Asked how he could get that love back for the game, Cullen gave another brutally honest take on his situation as he brought up Dutch player Wessel Nijman, who made a big impression in his debut year on the professional circuit in 2024.
He also mentioned the rise of Luke Littler and how the teenager has helped promote darts to a younger generation.
"I’m not sure. I think the problem I’ve got at the minute is, there are so many more players that I don’t think have as much ability as I have, but they’re so much more hungry than I am. And that counters it," he said after being asked about how he could ignite his love for darts.
"If I’m not essentially too bothered by what the outcome is, somebody with less ability – who absolutely lives for darts – has a better chance of beating me.
"You look at people coming through like Wessel Nijman, who’s playing unbelievable darts, and you can tell he loves the game. The way people talk about the game, the way they talk about the equipment—they love it. And I just think, well, I can’t remember the last time I felt like that.
"I love the equipment I’ve got and things like that. But then the want to get up and play— like, we’ve got a weekend off, and I can’t think of anything worse than playing darts. Whereas some of the boys are looking for local competitions, they’re looking for anything. They’re playing during the week, they’re playing pub darts because they love the game.
"And I think that’s been escalated a little bit with the rise of Luke Littler over the last couple of years, because you’ve got so many youths coming through who can see the opportunity in the game and the money in the game.
"You can make millions if you’re good enough. So I think Luke’s escalated the game a little bit further. And then you get people like myself who aren’t really in love with the game as much, who are essentially going to get left behind."
Cullen added: "I’m like late 20s, early 30s at the minute in terms of ranking. So if I don’t sort my attitude out in that aspect of trying to get back in love with the game, then it could be a slippery slope."
The upcoming World Darts Championship will take place from December 11 to January 3, with four first-round matches being played on the opening evening.
Topics: Darts, World Darts Championship
Jack Kenmare