SimplyAbuDhabi V

Born in 1979 in Sydney Australia, fromhis ‘normal’ beginnings, TimCahill now has superstar status back home inOz. As one of the finest imports that English football has ever seen he has worked hard to get to where he is today. Cahill’s impressive English football career began withMillwall in 1998. He played a total of 249 matches for the Lions, scoring 57 times, and played an integral role in the Clubs unforgettable run to the FACup Final in 2004, scoring in the semi-final at Old Trafford. As a highly versatile midfielder, who can also possesses the versatility to command the role of an effective striker; it’s no surprise that Everton recognised the potential in the driven young Cahill, signing him up in 2004. As a strong, athletic player of average height, Cahill certainly has a head for the game – in fact he now holds the record for the most headed goals in the Premier League! With his hunger and passion he has proved instrumental in the success of both his club and country in recent seasons. With great faith in this driven midfielder, David Moyes appointed him Everton’s vice-captain behind Phil Neville. It’s fair to say Tim Cahill has certainly made his mark on both sides of the globe. Having represented Samoa aged 14 for the U17 team, he may have had to wait until 2004 to make his debut for his native Australia due to the FIFA rules then in place, but went on to become a significant player for Australia in the Germany 2006 World Cup, scoring twice against Japan in the group stages, and he also scored against Serbia in the South Africa 2010 tournament. We were lucky enough to catch up with this remarkable player to chat about his upbringing, his love for the game and his plans for the future. Tell us how your love for the great game came about. For a kid growing up in Australia, most youngsters tended to play either rugby union or rugby league in the winter months – but that was never going to be me! My mother, Sisifo, who is Samoan, would never allow me to go near a rugby pitch or the oval ball as she deemed the sport too dangerous! As for my father, Tim Snr – a Londoner who emigrated down under – he was on her side because he’s always been a massive soccer fan. I have to thank them for this decision; however, otherwise I might never have embraced the game I now love to death. What are your earliest memories of the game? As long as I can remember I’ve been playing. My first club was the Tigers boys’ team who were based in the Sydney suburb of Haberfield. I was six years-old when I first played for them and I can remember getting so nervous that I sometimes even cried before the matches but when I got out on the pitch, all the anxiety melted away and I could then focus on my game. A Chat with the Talent known as Tim Cahill Tim Cahill & Simply Abu Dhabi CEO Arnie S Hira