The Cahill Factor
Most punters have never met Tim Cahill, but we feel like we know the great man; such is the mystique of the man.
You get the feeling he is the type of character that you could meet at a BBQ and instantly strike up a conversation. Cahill’s endearing qualities of leaving nothing on the pitch and writing his own history resinates well with everyone across the nation, and supporters of every shirt he has worn. When Cahill pulls on a Socceroos shirt you get the feeling something special could occur, and quite often it does.
When the thunderous volley hit the back of the net the nation stood up and took notice. Sure we had seen his exploits in 2006 against Japan but this World Cup is the icing on the cake for his international career. Before the tournament very few gave this squad a chance at even scoring a goal, Cahill simply scoffed at this and scored twice. The volley against the Dutch will be Cahill’s lasting image in a Socceroos shirt, closely followed by his corner flag celebrations.
The goal led most news broadcasts throughout the nation, and even though the Socceroos lost the match, they managed to win the hearts of both a new generation of fans and regain the respect from the current generation. You have to feel for all the Mum’s and Dad’s around New South Wales who were celebrating a State of Origin win for the first time in almost a decade. Their kids were going to school wanting to be the next Timmy Cahill; such is the magic of that moment.
Sports stars from across the board were quick to congratulate Cahill on his wonder strike. Whether it was former spin king Shane Warne or NBA player Matthew Dellavedova; the praise kept flowing. Not many Socceroos have the ability to transcend sports across Australia, Cahill is one of them.
It’s not just the exploits of Cahill on the pitch. At the recent Gosford and Sydney Socceroos pre world cup training camps it was noted by many journalists that Tim Cahill was always one of the last to leave after signing countless autographs or simply just meeting the fans. Cahill is the face representing the Socceroos and a hard working ambassador for football in Australia. The work he does to promote the game is simply breathtaking. Nothing seems to faze Cahill and no request seems to be too big or too little.
We have seen Cahill walk off a World Cup pitch for the final time, but he has left his stamp on the game for generations to come. Next Socceroos game you attend, have a look at the personalised ‘Cahill 4’ shirts around the ground. This is not a reflection on his teammates not being known across the board, it’s a symbol of the respect the nations has for Tim Cahill.
Words are not enough to thank you Tim for what you have done for football in Australia, hopefully we can buy you a beer one day.
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