Tim Cahill

Personal information
Full name	Timothy Joel Cahill
Date of birth	6 December 1979 (1979-12-06) (age 29)
Place of birth	Sydney, Australia
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Midfielder Second Striker
Club information
Current club	Everton
Number	17
Youth career
1994–1996	Sydney United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps (Gls)†
1997–2004	Millwall	0217 00(52)
2004–	Everton	0145 00(38)
National team‡
1993	Samoa U17	0001 000(0)[1]
2004–	Australia	0037 00(19)[2]
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:40, 26 May 2009 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:21, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Timothy Joel "Tim" Cahill (born 6 December 1979 in Sydney, Australia)^[3] is an Australian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Everton in the Premier League and for the Australian national team. Cahill has also has played up front on several occasions.

Cahill has become one of the highest profile footballers in the Asian Football Confederation. He is well known for his heading ability, currently holding the record for most headed goals scored in the English Premier League (20) (despite only being 1.78m) his perfectly judged runs into the box and great ability to escape his markers from set pieces has earned him the nickname "The Invisible Man".^[4] Cahill scored the first goal by an Australian at a FIFA World Cup, and has also scored the most goals by any Australian in the World Cup. In 2007, he also became the first Australian player to score at an Asian Cup.

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Cahill was born in Sydney to a Samoan mother and an English father, of Irish descent,^[5] and was encouraged to play football as a child. As a youngster Cahill played football for Balmain Police Boys Club and the Marrickville Red Devils Soccer Football Club. He attended Bexley North Primary school, Tempe High School and Kingsgrove North High School, where he ended his high school years.

Cahill paid a visit to Bexley North following his World Cup exploits where, despite the fact that the school holidays had started, almost the entire student body turned out to welcome him back.^[6][7]

Ben Roberts, five-eighth for the Canterbury Bulldogs, is Cahill's cousin.^[8]. Chris Cahill, a fellow professional football player, is his brother. Tim also has famous Rugby playing cousins: Joe Stanley (Auckland and New Zealand All Blacks), Jeremy Stanley (Otago andNew Zealand All Blacks) Michael Stanley (Saracens and England 20's) Sam Stanley (Saracens and England 18's) and Winston Stanley (Auckland and New Zealand 19's).

[edit] Millwall

In 1997, Cahill asked his parents to allow him to travel to England to play professionally, where he was signed by Millwall on a free transfer from Sydney United. He made his Millwall debut on 22 May 1998. In the 2003-2004 season, Cahill was the workhorse in Millwall's heroic campaign which led them to the FA Cup final for the first official time in their history, scoring in the semi-final against Sunderland, and a UEFA Cup place. Cahill polled over 100,000 votes to win the FA Cup ‘Player of the Round’ award for his performance during the semi-final victory in that competition.^[9] Cahill made 241 overall appearances for The Lions, scoring 58 goals.

Before the start of the 2004-2005 season, Cahill's contract was transferred to Everton Football Club for a fee of £1.5 million,^[10] after he turned down a move to Millwall's South East London rivals Crystal Palace.

[edit] Everton

Tim Cahill playing for Everton on December 15 2007

Cahill's transition into the Premier League was very successful finishing his first season as Everton's top goal scorer.^[11] He finished the 2004-2005 campaign as fans' player of the season^[11] as Everton reached the Champions League qualifying stage ahead of cross-town rivals Liverpool.

Before the 2005-06 season Cahill's contract at Everton was extended with a salary increase reflecting the impact he had made at the club.^[12] The third round of that season's FA Cup drew Cahill's former club, Millwall against Everton at The New Den. He scored the winner in the replay at Goodison Park, but chose not to celebrate his winning goal, stating, " I decided not to go mad and just pay my respects to the club that gave me my start in the game. To celebrate would have been a kick in the teeth, it is all about respect."^[13]

In October 2006, Cahill was named as one of 50 nominees for the Ballon D'Or. He was the first Everton player in 18 years to be nominated ^[14] and was also the only player on the list from the Asian Football Confederation and Oceania. A month later he was out of action for 8 weeks with a knee injury sustained by colliding with teammate Lee Carsley in a home game against Aston Villa on 11 November. Cahill returned on 14 January 2007, in place of the suspended Mikel Arteta, in the 1-1 home draw against Reading. However, Cahill sustained a second serious injury of 2006-07, breaking his 5th left metatarsal in a 1-1 draw against Sheffield United, on 3 March 2007, which ended his season. On 29 June 2007 he signed a contract extension at Everton that will see him stay at the club until 2012.

Cahill returned from injury partway through the 2007-08 season in the club's first UEFA Cup Group match, a home match against Greek side Larissa on 25 October 2007, scoring from a diving header after 14 minutes in a 3-1 win.^[15] His extra time winner against Luton Town on 31 October in the Football League Cup, sent Everton into their first cup Quarter Final in more than 5 years.

His 100th league appearance for Everton came in the 1-0 victory over Sunderland after which Cahill mentioned Duncan Ferguson and Alan Stubbs as his two biggest influences at Everton.^[16] Cahill has shown versatility by becoming a makeshift striker during December, 2008, due to injuries to all 4 of Everton's senior strikers. In this role he scored 2 goals in 3 games, both in 1-0 victories away to Manchester City and Middlesbrough, as well as a late equaliser in the Merseyside Derby,^[17] and becoming the first player since Dixie Dean to score for Everton in three Anfield derbies.^[18]. His 100th career goal was scored against Arsenal at Goodison on 28 January 2009.^[19]

On the 15 February, Cahill scored the third goal in a 3–1 win over Aston Villa and dedicated the goal to the victims of the 2009 Victorian bushfires.^[20] During the second half of the 2008-09 season, Cahill was used more as the "utility man" due to his versatility as Everton was plagued by injuries to playmaker Mikel Arteta as well as strikers Victor Anichebe and Yakubu and some other key players.^{[citation needed]}

On the 20 April, Everton faced Manchester United in the semi-final of the FA Cup. A match in which would ensure a spot at Wembley against Chelsea. After a gruelling 90 minutes the game was forced into extra time, and without a goal scored in either half it was forced into penalties. Cahill took the first penalty and blasted it over the bar, although Everton went on to win 4-2 and booked themselves their first FA Cup final appearance since 1995. Ensuing the defeat Cahill promised Everton fans, that he would score in the final and bring the FA Cup home to Everton. He broke both promises - Everton lost the subsequent final and Cahill failed to score.

Cahill is popular with the Everton fans^{[citation needed]} and they chant his name to the tune of "Tom Hark" by Elias and His Zig Zag Jive Flutes. They have also given him the nickname "Tiny Tim" after the Charles Dickens character due to being slightly short and slim.^[21] He has made a corner flag goal celebration his trademark. The celebration, where Cahill pretends to trade punches with the corner flag while putting the Everton badge between his teeth, was first seen in the 2005-2006 season. It was inspired by Melbourne Victory player and close friend of Cahill, Archie Thompson, who performs a similar routine whenever he scores.^[22] On 2 March 2008, Cahill celebrated his goal in the 3-1 home victory of Portsmouth by crossing his wrists as if he had been handcuffed. This was in reference to the recent jailing of his brother, Sean, for Grevious Bodily Harm. The potentially controversial action was defended by Everton, though Cahill has since apologised. The FA has thus far refused to comment on the incident.^[23].

On 1 October 2009, Cahill dedicated his winning goal in the Europa League game against BATE Borisov to the victims of the Pacific tsumani on 29 September 2009. The Australian international mimed rowing a canoe after scoring in the second half of the match in Belarus.^[24] Due to Phil Neville sustaining a knee ligament injury early in the 2009-2010 season, Cahill was named as the replacement captain of Everton.

[edit] International career

Cahill warming up before a World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Brisbane.

The midfielder only made his debut for the Australian national team in 2004, as a result of his having played for Samoa at Under-17 level at the age of 14.^[1] In 2002, Cahill expressed desire to play for Mick McCarthy's Republic of Ireland 2002 World Cup team, and even considered taking legal action against FIFA for the association's refusal to allow his change of nationality.^[25]

His Australia debut was in a friendly against South Africa on 30 March 2004 at Loftus Road, London.^[26] He participated at the 2004 Olympic Games. Tim was named Oceania Footballer of the Year for 2004, joining Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton, Christian Karembeu and Mark Bosnich among some of the past winners of the award, which has existed since 1988. On 16 November 2005 at Sydney's Telstra Stadium, Cahill played a full game as the Socceroos defeated Uruguay and qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. Cahill is commonly referred to as "the super-sub" after two World Cup goals coming off the bench against Japan, and after saving Australia from an embarrassing defeat against Oman in their 2007 Asian Cup opener with a stoppage-time goal.

On Wednesday 6 February 2008, Cahill scored in a 3-0 defeat of Qatar at the Telstra Dome, Melbourne, to kickstart Australia's 2010 World Cup Qualifying campaign.
He scored another goal against Qatar in the 4th round of 2010 World Cup Qualifications, at Lang Park in Brisbane. The Socceroos won 4-0. After this game former Australian coach Rale Rasic described Cahill as the best Australian footballer he had seen in his lifetime. Cahill continued his great form for the rest of the World Cup qualifying fixtures, especially scoring a double against Japan in the final game of he group to win the game 2-1 for the Socceroos. He also scored a double against the Republic of Ireland in a friendly match, and the 1-0 winner against Oman in an Asian Cup qualifer.^[27] Cahill became a talismanic figure under the reign of Pim Verbeek as Australia began to rely heavily on his goals.^[28]

[edit] World Cup 2006

After Japan led 1-0 for the majority of the game through a Shunsuke Nakamura goal, Cahill, who was a second half substitute for Mark Bresciano, scored Australia's first ever World Cup goal to bring Australia level in the 84th minute. He slotted home a low swivelled drive after a long throw had caused confusion in the penalty box. However, moments later, with Australia driving forward, Cahill curled in a second goal from outside the box in the 89th minute to put the Socceroos in the lead, hitting both posts in the process, before beating Japanese goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.

John Aloisi capped off the victory with a goal in the 92nd minute off an assist from Cahill. This made Cahill the first Australian to score in a World Cup Finals game, the scorer of Australia's second ever World Cup Finals goal, and thus the scorer of Australia's first brace. He is also Australia's first Man of the Match at a World Cup.^[29]

Cahill also played in the Brazil game, which was lost 2-0,^[30] and the Croatia game, which was drawn 2-2^[31] ensuring a place in the 2nd round. Cahill played the entire match when Australia faced eventual winners Italy, but the Socceroos were eliminated by a controversial Francesco Totti penalty.^[32]

[edit] Asian Cup 2007

In the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, Cahill only appeared as a substitute as he was recovering from an injury. He agitated through the Australian press for a starting berth but failed to secure one. He provided 3 assists in the last 3 goals in Australia's 4-0 win in their crucial last group match against Thailand.

In the quarter-final against Japan, Cahill featured as a substitute for Mark Bresciano (the other substitutes used in the match being Harry Kewell and Nick Carle). Australia lost that match (1-1 at full time and after extra time) through a penalty shootout and were eliminated from the Asian Cup.

[edit] Football Academy

Cahill will become involved with two football academies in 2009, one based in Wollongong, Australia in partnership with Wollongong Police and Community Youth Club, perhaps in relation to his brother being in jail.^[33] and another in partnership with 'Elite Sporting Academy' in Dubai ^[34].

Cahill is heavily involved with the Unicef children's charity.^[35]

[edit] Career stats

[edit] International Goals

Tim Cahill: International goals

Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Result	Competition	Number
31 May 2004	Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia	Tahiti	Won	9-0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)	1
31 May 2004	Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia	Tahiti	Won	9-0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)	2
2 June 2004	Marden Sports Complex, Adelaide	Fiji	Won	6-1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)	3
2 June 2004	Marden Sports Complex, Adelaide	Fiji	Won	6-1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)	4
2 June 2004	Marden Sports Complex, Adelaide	Fiji	Won	6-1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)	5
6 June 2004	Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide	Solomon Islands	Draw	2-2	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)	6
16 November 2004	Craven Cottage, London	Norway	Draw	2-2	Friendly	7
3 September 2005	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney	Solomon Islands	Win	7-0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)	8
4 June 2006	Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam	Netherlands	Draw	1-1	Friendly	9
12 June 2006	Fritz Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany	Japan	Won	3-1	2006 FIFA World Cup	10
12 June 2006	Fritz Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany	Japan	Won	3-1	2006 FIFA World Cup	11
8 July 2007	Rajamangala National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Oman	Draw	1-1	2007 Asian Cup	12
6 February 2008	Telstra Dome, Melbourne, Australia	Qatar	Won	3-0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - AFC Third Round	13
15 October 2008	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia	Qatar	Won	4-0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - AFC Third Round	14
17 June 2009	MCG, Melbourne, Australia	Japan	Won	2-1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - AFC Fourth Round	15
17 June 2009	MCG, Melbourne, Australia	Japan	Won	2-1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - AFC Fourth Round	16
12 August 2009	Thomond Park, Limerick, Ireland	Republic of Ireland	Won	3-0	Friendly	17
12 August 2009	Thomond Park, Limerick, Ireland	Republic of Ireland	Won	3-0	Friendly	18
14 October 2009	Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, Australia	Oman	Won	1-0	2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification	19

[edit] Honours/Achievements

FA Cup

• Runner-up: 2004
• Runner-up: 2009

Oceania Footballer of the Year

• Winner - 2004

Professional Football Association Player of the Year

• Winner - 2009^[36]

• Nominated for Ballon d'Or 2006
• First Australian to score at the World Cup Finals;
• First Australian to score at the Asian Cup Finals;
• Most Goals by an Australian at the World Cup Finals
• First Everton player since Dixie Dean in 1931 to score in three separate Merseyside derbies at Anfield.
• First Australian to feature on the cover of the local edition of a FIFA series video game, namely FIFA 10.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Tim Cahill FIFA competition record
• Tim Cahill career stats at Soccerbase
• Tim Cahill at the Internet Movie Database
• Profile at official Everton site
• Profile at ESPNSoccernet.com
• Yahoo World Cup Profile

v • d • e Australia squad – 2004 Summer Olympics 1 Jones • 2 North • 3 Cansdell-Sherriff • 4 Moore • 5 McKain • 6 Madaschi • 7 Elrich • 8 Wilkshire • 9 Aloisi • 10 Cahill • 11 Brosque • 12 Tarka • 13 Valeri • 14 Holman • 15 Danze • 16 Dilevski • 17 Griffiths • 18 Galeković • Coach: Farina

v • d • e Australia squad – 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 1 Schwarzer • 2 Muscat • 3 Moore • 4 Neill • 5 T. Vidmar • 6 Popovic • 7 Emerton • 8 Skoko • 9 Viduka • 10 Cahill • 11 Chipperfield • 12 Petkovic • 13 Wilkshire • 14 Colosimo • 15 Aloisi • 16 Zdrilic • 17 McKain • 18 Kalac • 19 Čulina • 20 Miličević • 21 Elrich • 22 Thompson • 23 Sterjovski • Coach: Farina

v • d • e Australia squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Schwarzer • 2 Neill • 3 Moore • 4 Cahill • 5 Čulina • 6 Popovic • 7 Emerton • 8 Skoko • 9 Viduka • 10 Kewell • 11 Lazaridis • 12 Čović • 13 Grella • 14 Chipperfield • 15 Aloisi • 16 Beauchamp • 17 Thompson • 18 Kalac • 19 Kennedy • 20 Wilkshire • 21 Sterjovski • 22 Milligan • 23 Bresciano • Coach: Hiddink

v • d • e Australia squad – 2007 AFC Asian Cup 1 Schwarzer • 2 Neill • 3 Kisnorbo • 4 Cahill • 5 Čulina • 6 Beauchamp • 7 Emerton • 8 Wilkshire • 9 Viduka • 10 Kewell • 11 Thompson • 12 Jones • 13 Grella • 14 Holman • 15 Aloisi • 16 Thwaite • 17 Valeri • 18 Petkovic • 19 Carle • 20 Carney • 21 Sterjovski • 22 Milligan • 23 Bresciano • Coach: Arnold