Joe Cullen's career could just be about to take off in a big way if he can finally show off his talents on the PDC World Darts Championship stage.
The Rockstar has managed just one victory in his seven previous visits to Alexandra Palace but after something of a breakthrough year, many feel he's capable of enjoying a sparkling run over the festive period that could even put him in the reckoning for a 2019 Premier League Darts spot.
You can listen to the interview below or scroll down for the full written article
Read also
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- Chris Hammer's best bets & preview
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- Listen to Joe Cullen on the Sporting Life Darts Podcast
Cullen had shown flashes of his talents in the past but this season he's stepped up a level by reaching the World Matchplay quarter-finals, where he thrashed Gerwyn Price and Daryl Gurney before missing two match darts in an epic 19-17 defeat to nine-dart hero Gary Anderson, and also the last four of the European Championship.
🙌🎯 Gary Anderson's nine-darter at the #WorldMatchplay!!!pic.twitter.com/R4GQhzHfuA
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) July 26, 2018
If Gary Anderson’s nine-darter wasn’t enough...
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) July 26, 2018
🙌🎯 Joe Cullen hits his second 170 checkout of the #WorldMatchplay
👏 Magicpic.twitter.com/MRa40xQbfR
He came so close to reaching his maiden TV final at the Euros, missing match dart against Simon Whitlock in an agonising 11-10 loss having previously come from 6-1 down to beat Rob Cross and also brushing aside Michael Smith 10-4.
🙁 6-1 down against the world champion...
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) October 28, 2018
😲 Not a problem for Joe Cullen, who will play in his first major semi-final tonight!pic.twitter.com/Gn997IZBqu
In addition to these exploits on TV, he's also enjoyed consistent success in front of the big crowds at the 13 European Tour events, reaching seven quarter-finals and two semi-finals.
And while Cullen may still rue missing out on the prized scalp of Anderson in Blackpool during the summer, he feels that whole week gave him belief and a springboard to rise up to 14th in the world rankings.
The 29-year-old, whose two PDC titles came in floor events in 2017, said: "I was obviously disappointed at the time but the whole experience showed I could live with the big boys over the long format and my stock has risen a lot since then.
"I now need to push on again for the worlds and I'm really looking forward to getting started. It's the pinnacle of the year, everyone is desperate to do well and I'm no different to the rest.
"The whole season has been a role reversal from last year. In 2017 I was pretty solid on the floor but this year in the stage events I've done well. I played in all 13 of the European Tour events, which are played in front of up to 5,000 people every weekend and not much different to a TV tournament, and I reached seven quarter-finals and two semi-finals.
"All this stage practice has definitely helped me when it's come to the bigger events on TV."
Draw comfort
Cullen has brushed off his statistically poor record at Alexandra Palace, where his thrilling triumph over Corey Cadby in the 2017 World Championship remains his only victory in his seven previous appearances, and puts it mainly down to the bad draws he was given due to being lowly ranked earlier in his career.
He said: "In the early days I was given some shocking draws and obviously I wasn't seeded when I first started qualifying. I played Terry Jenkins a couple of times when he was in the Premier League, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright.
"John Part wasn't in the best form when I played him but he's still a three-time world champion.
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"I think the best performance anyone ever played against me was the one game I did win against Corey Cadby but I didn't follow it up against Adrian Lewis. And last year I was just careless against Jermaine Wattimena, missing four match darts.
"But that's darts - it's about taking your chances and I didn't that night and got punished. But this year I'm going to put it right."
This year, thanks to his career high seeding of 14 and a certain element of 'luck of the draw', Cullen finds himself in a much kinder section of the bracket than usual.
Joe Cullen's quarter of the draw
- (6) Gerwyn Price v Nathan Aspinall/Geert Nentjes
- (27) Kyle Anderson v Jeffrey de Graaf/Noel Malicdem
- (11) Ian White v Wayne Jones/Devon Peterson
- (22) Steve West v Richard North/Robert Marijanovic
- (3) Peter Wright v Toni Alcinas/Craig Ross
- (30) Benito van de Pas v Micky Mansell/Jim Long
- (14) Joe Cullen v Brendan Dolan/Yuanjun Liu
- (19) Mervyn King v Jan Dekker/Lisa Ashton
- Click here for the full draw and daily schedule
The highest ranked player in there is Peter Wright but Snakebite's form is questionable while the other seeds in there, even Grand Slam of Darts champion Gerwyn Price, won't faze him.
Should he come through this quarter, then the more likely semi-final opponents would be either Rob Cross, Michael Smith or Mensur Suljovic.
Cullen, who will come into the tournament in the second round as a seeded player, obviously doesn't want to look too far ahead but does accept it is an open half away from Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson.
He added: "I think all the players fancy it to be honest but it's dangerous if you start looking past what's immediately in front of you. I expect to play Brendan Dolan in the second round as I don't know much about his opponent (Yuanjun Liu) and I'm the first to admit I don't enjoy playing against slow players.
"Brendan is one of the slowest on the tour - he doesn't do it deliberately, it's just his game. So hopefully I can adjust as the game goes on and get over the line."
Rose for the Rockstar?
Cullen could feasibly meet Lisa Ashton in the third round if the first British woman ever to play in the PDC World Darts Championship can make more history by defeating both Jan Dekker and Mervyn King.
While the Lancashire Rose, who is the reigning two-time women's world champion in the BDO, starts as underdog against Dekker in the first round, Cullen believes there'll be a lot of pressure on her male opponents.
Cullen said: "I think it's the fact you're playing a woman that puts pressure on and that's no disrespect to Lisa because she's a fantastic player and earned her right to be here. It's the same in pub leagues when guys come up against a lady so it's never easy.
"The crowd are obviously always going to be for Lisa so if she can start well and perhaps win one of the first two legs to settle her nerves, then the pressure on Jan Dekker will mount and mount. So the key is to start well against her.
"Jan is a very good player and I'd be surprised if Lisa beat him but you never know, it could be a real test of his character."
With Ashton being one of two women competing this year alongside Anastasia Dobromyslova, Cullen thinks it's great for the sport as it continues to expand its boundaries and give opportunities to all.
"Darts is growing all the time around the world. It's now massive in Germany partly because of all the events that get staged there and it could be the same for the women's game if more opportunities come."
Premier League on the horizon
The 10-man line-up for the 2019 Premier League will, as always, be made after the World Championship final on New Year's Day and Cullen is not without a chance given his impressive performances in 2018.
However the Bradford man is just one of a number of players knocking on the door for a maiden call-up - or indeed a recall - and does accept he'll need a great run at Alexandra Palace to put himself in serious contention for one of the few spots realistically available.
The big four of Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Rob Cross and Peter Wright look to be shoe-ins while recent major glory for Gerwyn Price at the Grand Slam of Darts, Daryl Gurney at the Players Championship Finals and James Wade in the European Championship and World Series surely cements their spots.
Michael Smith, who was runner-up this year, shouldn't have any worries while it'll be a huge shock of Raymond van Barneveld was left out in his final season before retirement!
That would leave just one more place, with Mensur Suljovic favourite to cling on unless the likes of Cullen can shine in a big way over the festive period.
He said: "I'm sure all the guys knocking on the door are thinking about getting a Premier League spot and I believe I'm one of them.
"A great run at the World Championship will give me a great shot although it feels like three spots which would have been up for grabs may have been taken by Gerwyn Price, Daryl Gurney and James Wade.
"Raymond van Barneveld will get a place although I'm not sure that's right if I'm being honest based on performances and form. He can still produce great darts and he might earn it on merit if he has a good run at the world championship."
Crowd support
Cullen is used to having plenty of support from friends and family at the big events but he reckons he'll be short of a few voices in his opening match.
"With it being a Wednesday afternoon match, the timing is a bit difficult. The kids are at school and my wife will be working.
"It's difficult to get time off at the best of times, let alone over Christmas but hopefully if I get through then I'll play again on the Sunday and more support will come down for me."
