Joe Cullen has delivered a brutally honest self-assessment of his darts career, admitting he has "underachieved" but firmly believing he remains among the world's elite. In a revealing interview on the Winmau Darts YouTube channel, the former Masters champion stated, "If I look at myself honestly in the mirror, I think I've underachieved," adding, "I should have won a TV tournament way before I did." Cullen, who came onto the tour before Q-School existed and has been a professional for nearly two decades, attributed this gap to his own shortcomings, saying, "I can only blame myself, that's really it. I think coming through, I had more talent than so many players there, but they put far more work in than I did." He even described himself as "self-proclaimed lazy."
The interview also shed light on Cullen's recent struggles, with the player confessing, "The last three, four years I've been a bit of a slog. It just takes over your life and it has done for nearly two decades. So I think I've fell out of love with it a bit." He elaborated on the personal toll, noting, "The time that I have away from my family, I've missed so many birthdays, you know, milestones," and shared a specific hardship: "My dad had a heart attack, I was in Germany. I had to get back quick." Despite this, Cullen highlighted a ProTour title in 2025 as a key moment, admitting, "Sometimes you sort of lose that little bit of belief. You still believe in yourself deep down, but you lose that little bit of belief that you can still win tournaments." He said the win showed "it still means something."
However, Cullen is not surrendering to decline. He emphasized a renewed commitment, stating, "The way I've started this year, I've been putting the work in," and linked it to signing a "massive contract with Winmau." He also commented on the sport's increased competitiveness, saying, "When I first started there was you could sort of hand pick around the room maybe two or three players… but now it's just everybody can play." Crucially, he asserted his self-belief, declaring, "I don't think there are 16 better players than me in the world," and later adding, "Yeah, 100%, I'm top 16 player." He explained, "I know what I'm capable of, but it's just getting it out on a consistent basis," and noted his tendency to thrive as an underdog: "I've had so many games on TV now where the other guy's been a massive favourite and I just think, well, I'll show you."
Looking ahead, Cullen's motivation is clear yet pragmatic. When asked how long he wants to continue, he replied, "Till I've got enough money, if you want the honest answer. I play for a good life and to provide a good life for my family." He suggested that upon retiring, he might miss "the dressing room and the time with the other players more than the actual act of competing." This complex relationship with darts—marked by regret, burnout, but enduring conviction—defines Cullen's current chapter as he aims to prove his top-16 caliber once more.
