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From: est.1878 on 7 Jun 2010 06:33
"A wonder-strike from the wonderboy of Australian football." The
Australian TV commentary that heralded Tim Cahill's World Cup debut
sounded overblown in 2006; he was a substitute when scoring an
exquisite 89th-minute winner against Japan, after all. There is no
disputing its prescience today. The talisman's mantle awaits Cahill in
South Africa and, 13 years after arriving in England with only the
promise of a trial at Millwall, it is a journey he is still struggling
to comprehend.

Cahill, then 26, altered Australia's fortunes when Guus Hiddink
introduced him against Japan. With one poacher's goal he became the
first Australian to score at a World Cup finals, his second secured
the country's first victory at a World Cup and he then created John
Aloisi's luxurious third. The transformation did not cease there. Four
years on Cahill's face adorns countless advertising campaigns back
home, he had time for one brief weekend in Las Vegas this summer to
wed his long-term partner, Rebekah Greenhill, before reporting for
training in Sydney and there was promotional work to be done for the
Tim Cahill Cancer Fund for Children. There was also the significant
matter of finalising a new contract with Everton.

"They knew who I was in Australia in 2006, but not to a great extent,"
the Everton midfielder admits. "Now, with the momentum of a second
World Cup, it has gone crazy. I've been doing advertising campaigns
with Kaká and Wayne Rooney, and other big players throughout the
world, bringing out a DVD. It's been invigorating and I've enjoyed it,
but there are so many things I've done that have been hard to take in.
I remember cleaning boots at Millwall on £250 a week and feeling like
a millionaire. I'd made it then. At that time, if I never played for
another club it wouldn't have bothered me too much because I'd made it
with a football team in England. I knew then that, no matter what
happened, I would be able to tell my kids I made it with a
professional club in England. That was probably one of the happiest
times in my career."

There is a pressure on Australia at World Cup 2010 that was absent in
Germany, where Hiddink's side – and a fanatical support – impressed
before a controversial exit to Italy. Heightened expectation for South
Africa has not been diluted by an ominous draw for the group stage and
Saturday's 3–1 reverse to the USA would have caused more concern,
although Cahill did manage to get on the scoresheet.

The midfielder, whose 20 goals in 40 international appearances explain
his exalted status in Australia, accepts that demands have changed
radically since 2006. "There is increased expectation on us this time,
maybe among the fans but definitely among the media," he says. "It's
such a hard group. Germany, Serbia and Ghana; they are all play-off
matches and if you get through the group, anything is possible. That's
the special thing about this World Cup. I don't think there is one big
country that is nailed on to dominate in South Africa. I think there
are going to be a hell of a lot of surprises all the way through.
Anything can happen. People are saying we've got the hardest group,
but what's the easiest? I don't think England have got an easy group.
USA beat Spain for a start. Complacency and thinking you've got an
easy group is really ignorant."

Unlike many prominent figures, Cahill can compete at this World Cup
free of distraction about where he will be playing his club football
next season. David Moyes's priority for Everton this summer is to keep
intact the squad that finished last term with such conviction and
Cahill was the first to commit with a new four-year contract. Not that
anyone who witnessed Cahill's celebrations when Australia reached the
knockout phase in 2006 had any doubt as to where his loyalties rested.

It was the night of Graham Poll's three card trick against Croatia and
Australia had squeezed through. Thunderstruck by AC/DC reverberated
around the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium in Stuttgart and as Cahill
cavorted around the running track he spotted a royal blue No17 jersey
in the crowd. His next move was no insincere badge-kissing display of
affection. He recalls: "I saw Everton jerseys at every Australia game
in the last World Cup and when we qualified against Croatia there was
one close to me, so I went into the crowd and swapped jerseys. It was
a big moment in my life and something I'll never forget. It's
priceless when I play for Australia and see an Everton shirt in the
crowd, or when I play for Everton and there's an Aussie supporter
there, and that was the most prized possession I have given away."

Jack Rodwell has since followed Cahill's lead in extending his Everton
contract but doubts remain over several other key figures at the club,
notably Steven Pienaar. The South African midfielder is approaching
the final year of his deal at Goodison and has resisted the offer of a
new deal that would give him parity with the highest earners in
Moyes's squad. His anticipated departure is a distraction for Cahill.
"Pienaar is a great player, a good character who is good for this team
and we are good for him," he says. "I have to respect his decision
because I am a professionaland I know that he is one of the biggest
players for South Africa. Losing him would be a big loss but I think
he needs to see what he would be losing if he left Everton. Hopefully
we will sign him because it is a pleasure playing with him."
From: The Good Son on 7 Jun 2010 10:56
"He recalls: "I saw Everton jerseys at every Australia game
in the last World Cup and when we qualified against Croatia there was
one close to me, so I went into the crowd and swapped jerseys. It was
a big moment in my life and something I'll never forget. It's
priceless when I play for Australia and see an Everton shirt in the
crowd, or when I play for Everton and there's an Aussie supporter
there, and that was the most prized possession I have given away."

As the man says, priceless...says it all where Cahill is concerned.


From: Roo on 9 Jun 2010 19:29
est.1878 wrote:
> "A wonder-strike from the wonderboy of Australian football." The
> Australian TV commentary that heralded Tim Cahill's World Cup debut
> sounded overblown in 2006; he was a substitute when scoring an
> exquisite 89th-minute winner against Japan, after all. There is no
> disputing its prescience today. The talisman's mantle awaits Cahill in
> South Africa and, 13 years after arriving in England with only the
> promise of a trial at Millwall, it is a journey he is still struggling
> to comprehend.

<snip>

Got to love Tim Cahill...

BlueRoo
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