Tim Cahill has done it! again and again and again.

 

Who can still hear Simon Hill’s delirious cry when Cahill’s goal rattled off the post into the net in Kaiserslauten in 2006? He’s done it – and he continues to for the Socceroos.  

·         Netherlands 2006

·         Japan 2006

·         Oman 2007

·         Qatar 2008 x2

Tim Cahill is the Socceroos’ lucky charm. Make no mistake; he is a superstar, a World Class finisher, and Australia’s pocket dynamo and secret weapon. He might have got into strife for saluting his convicted brother before bashing the corner flag, but at the moment, he’s our own get out of jail card.

The energy and passion he brought to the Socceroos cause on Wednesday was palpable – it runs through his teammates, the fans, the commentary, the media. Tim Cahill loves Australia and Australia loves him.

Two or three years ago, people might have called it lucky, he was in the right place at the right time. But Cahill has made a career out of outleaping his taller opponents, outfoxing his more illustrious counterparts through his anticipation, and his greatest quality is he is desperate to put himself about in the box. It’s not luck. He puts himself there. Australia can survive without Cahill. We have for 8 months. But he makes the job so much easier when he is available.

Have a look (particularly at the first few minutes) of this package, and there is truly a bit of everything:

Professional. Clinical. Ruthless. The Socceroos’ swagger in Asia has turned from pressure on themselves in the Asia Cup to fear and intimidation upon their opponents in qualifying under Pim Verbeek.  

From the moment the side controlled the first five minutes of the match, the writing was on the wall for the Qataris. They were a rabble. They left Quintana isolated up front, and felt the absence of three or four senior players at the back.

It was only positive for Australia.

Craig Moore was accomplished and comfortable.

Jason Culina’s reputation continues to blossom. I love the A-League, but a player of his talent should continue to grace the biggest leagues in the world for many years to come. Socceroos circa 2010 will be built around the PSV man. He reads the play as well as Vince Grella, is quicker, has a superb touch and passing range – these attributes make it so much easier for Australia to keep the ball, and when we do, we look a top class side. Certainly very few sides in Asia can cope with it.

Brett Emerton. Is there a better player in Asia?

Josh Kennedy – got a bonus goal with his head, but he earns his kudos because of his versatility. He can come to the ball and hold it up (he’s no Viduka, but he does it well), he can play off both feet, can link with his midfielders (see Emerton goal) and if all else fails, if you deliver it from the wing he will trouble the ‘keeper. If Luke Wilkshere continues to put the ball on a ten-cent piece from right back, it’s a huge boon for the Socceroos.

It’s positive that the Socceroos haven’t resorted to long balls as a cheap tactic against physically intimidated Asian teams. They’ve opened their opponents through incisive passing – and while the first goal came from a hopeful ball whipped in followed by two flick-ons, the Qataris were at sixes and sevens, so it was a ball to the target men that had to be played.

Scott McDonald, while not even close to breaking his duck, was also a positive contributor. His runs into the channels opens the space for Kennedy in the middle, and he showed he can actually hold the ball, using his ‘alleged’ tummy to great effect. It was a great sign because poaching, while something we haven’t had, is not enough to cut it at the international level.

So Pim has created depth, confidence and stability in the side. A lot of credit has to go to him for taking the Socceroos to another level. He has varied his tactics from game to game and has sealed the gaps for the side no matter who is unavailable.

Bahrain is next, who we beat away from home in our very first match in Asia in 2006. If we can go for broke in that match, the Roos will be very hard to mow down for a spot in South Africa.

So the question after Cahill’s return – what’s the Socceroos A team? In a neutral, no variable conditions, no away leg situation, this is what I’d vote for at the moment. As good as Cahill is, he is very direct – Culina still needs another genuine passer with him in the middle to ensure that he doesn’t become isolated or targeted.

                                                                                                Schwarzer

                                Wikshere             Neil (c)                  Moore                  Chipperfield

 

                                Emerton              Grella                    Culina                    Kewell

 

                                                                Cahill

                                                                                                Kennedy

Petkovic

Coyne

Valeri

Bresciano

Holman

Sterjovski

Carney

Not bad, is it?  

Tags: Football, Socceroos, Tim Cahill