Tim Cahill’s autobiography is called Legacy – a grand title, but certainly not out of place. He will go down as one of the most important figures in Australian football.
Once considered by Sir Alex Ferguson for his Manchester United side, Cahill’s long involvement and impact in Australia’s World Cup and Asian Cup campaigns – and his worldwide profile that helped enhance Australia’s footballing profile – will likely go unrivalled for many years.
Yet his next chapter, the move to the A-League via Melbourne City, may prove one of the most precarious.
While a footballer may boast the most distinguished of CVs, it’s the controversies or late-career fadeouts that linger as stubborn epilogues and often overshadow earlier achievements. In various contexts, think Zidane’s headbutt, Messi’s tax convictions, or the last five years of Lucas Neill’s career (along with that slide tackle in the World Cup).
And so after years of slanging matches in the media involving David Gallop, then negotiations, Cahill finally signed for Melbourne City – the City Group’s global brand (highlighted by the selfie with New York City’s Andre Pirlo, Frank Lampard and David Villa) and financial muscle able to prize him away from his home state of New South Wales after earlier links with Sydney FC.
Beyond the initial boom in interest, there are historical barriers that Cahill will have to overcome should his A-League stint prove a long-term success. First and foremost being that very few, if any, of the Golden Generation actually enhanced their own stocks playing on home shores – which, for Cahill’s legacy, presents a significant risk.
A history of the Golden Generation in the A-League
John Aloisi – Whilst not always prolific, Aloisi’s stints with Mariners and Heart were productive, and although initially struggling at Sydney, he came back up and was instrumental as they clinched the premiership and championship in 2009/10. However there is no doubt that the image of him slumped on the Allianz Stadium surface with a backdrop of boos in the background following his open goal miss against the Glory in his first season with the club hurt his legacy three years after scoring the famous penalty kick at Homebush. Has subsequently enjoyed mixed fortunes as coach of the Heart and currently Brisbane Roar.
Jason Culina – Much was made about the Socceroos midfielder’s decision to join league debutants Gold Coast United ahead of season five of the competition as he elected not to re-new his contract with Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven. On the field, the three-time Eredivisie winner was probably the most successful of the returning Socceroos in his first season with the club. However, his career took a turn for the worse when suffering a knee injury with the national team at the 2011 Asian Cup. With speculation rife over United’s A-League future, Culina joined father Branko at the Newcastle Jets, but luck was not to be on their side as he picked up an injury on the eve of season seven, which saw the Hunter club axe both player and coach. Undeterred by the set-back, he joined Del Piero and Emerton at Sydney in October 2012 and despite some good form, fell out with coach Frank Farina and departed the club the following February before announcing his retirement from the game a few months later.
Brett Emerton – Arriving at Sydney FC the same time Kewell, the scoreless showdown between Victory and Sydney in Round 1 in 2011 almost characterised his A-League stint. He was hardly spectacular and arguably more was expected of a player who had been a Premier League regular with Blackburn Rovers for eight seasons. Seven goals in 57 appearances occurred during a period of mediocrity for both club and player, with the A-League stint also seeing the 95-cap Socceroos veteran lose his place in the national team before eventually calling time on his career in January 2014 due to persistent back problems.
Vince Grella – Often flying under the radar during his Socceroos career, Grella’s A-League tenure was over before it began, as his body let him down, with his time in the league restricted to 22 minutes. Signed at the beginning of the 2012/13 season by his former teammate and rookie coach Aloisi, the alarm bells were already ringing for a player who had made only six league appearances with Blackburn in the preceding two seasons. Heart fans would have to wait until Australia Day 2013 to see the former national team midfield enforcer in action with his cameo off the bench against the Western Sydney Wanderers. The 182-game Serie A veteran suffered another injury during that game and promptly announced his retirement shortly afterwards.
Josh Kennedy – Having scored the goal that secured Australia’s passage to the 2014 World Cup, the man known affectionately as Jesus was expected to light up the A-League after agreeing terms with Melbourne City in January 2015. However by that stage his career was already winding down after injuries saw him miss Brazil, with his playing time limited in his final season in Japan with Nagoya Grampus. Injury saw his City debut delayed until the following month as the 36-cap Socceroo entered the frame in a 3-0 derby defeat to Victory. The marquee signing finished the season with two goals in 12 appearances as persistent injuries saw him announce his retirement from football in June.
Harry Kewell – Like Cahill, Kewell’s signing was a watershed moment for the A-League – initially. Protracted negotiations didn’t initially endear him to all, nor did his late arrival at Victory. Not fully fit, a rookie coach in Mehmet Durakovic was unable to formulate a forward line consisting of Kewell, Thompson, Allsopp, Hernandez and Solórzano, which ended in a tumultuous year off the pitch and a rare absence from finals football for Victory. His injury-riddled Heart stint acted as an antagonist to a tense Melbourne rivalry, with Kewell scoring just twice in 16 appearances, which included an infamous penalty miss against Sydney FC as the team finished in last place and earning the dreaded wooden spoon.
Stan Lazaridis – Despite falling out of favour with Guus Hiddink in Germany, the left-back was revered for his decision to join home town club Perth Glory following the World Cup. Much was expected from the 60-cap Socceroo, given he had spent eight years in the Premier League with West Ham United and Birmingham City respectively. However, his time with the club was restricted to just 13 appearances over two seasons, which were overshadowed when a positive drug test for prescription hair-loss treatment saw him given a lengthy ban from football. Released by the club in March 2008, he retired shortly afterwards, with injuries also taking their toll on the veteran West Australian.
Craig Moore – The veteran defender was one of the first big names from the Golden Generation to move to the A-League following his signing with the Roar ahead of season three of the competition. A five-time Scottish champion with Rangers, Moore formed a formidable defensive partnership with Sasa Ognenovski in his debut season, which saw the Queenslanders experience extra-time heartbreak at the Jets to miss out on a Grand Final debut. He continued his form into the second season despite a testicular scare, although the third year was far from rosy for both club and player. New manager Ange Postecoglou stamped his authority early on and did not have senior players like the ex-Socceroos captain, Danny Tiatto, Charlie Miller, Liam Reddy and Bob Malcom in his future plans. Moore left the club in January and joined top tier Greek side Kavala, while former Roar manager Miron Bleiberg questioned his status as a marquee player.
Lucas Neill – Upon joining the Sky Blues in February 2013, the goodwill from the Australia public had well eroded, given his declining performances in green and gold, which saw many calling for the then-Socceroos captain to call time on his glittered international career. Motivated by the desire to lead his country to a third World Cup, he joined Del Piero and Emerton at Sydney FC, with the two-time A-League Champions struggling to make the finals. Controversy immediately followed the defender as Melbourne Heart accused him of backtracking on a decision to join the club. Coincidentally, he made his A-League debut away to the Heart at AAMI Park to a chorus of boos and jeers from the disgruntled home fans. Injuries restricted him to just three appearances, bringing further scrutiny to his national team role.
Tony Popovic – The current Western Sydney Wanderers manager initially rejected a chance to return home in the immediate aftermath of the World Cup in Germany, and instead elected for a season-long spell in Qatar. He subsequently joined Sydney FC ahead of season three of the competition, where he was reunited with his former Sydney United manager Branko Culina, who named him club captain. An inconsistent season for player and club a like ended on a high as the Sky Blues qualified for the finals under new coach John Kosmina. His second season began slowly and resulted in the former Crystal Palace skipper announcing his retirement from the playing ranks in November and was immediately named assistant at the club, a springboard for further coaching success in the following eight years to come.
Josip Skoko – The 51-game Socceroo returned to Victoria after spending a decade and a half in Europe, where he played for the likes of Hajduk Split, Genk and Wigan Athletic. Announced as the Heart’s marquee signing in their inaugural season in the competition, Skoko returned to Melbourne four years after his memorable volley lit up a packed MCG in a pre-World Cup friendly at Greece. However, such a moment was not replicated in his time in red and white, as the midfielder struggled with a niggling hamstring injury throughout the season. He retired at the conclusion of the campaign with many arguing the case that he had returned to the league a season or two later given his best days were well and truly behind him.
Mile Sterjovski – Often an underrated member of the Golden Generation, he in hindsight was perhaps the most successful of the returning Roos, given he is the only one who made over 100 A-League appearances. Signed as a marquee by the Perth Glory ahead of season five alongside former Socceroo Jacob Burns, the winger-come-forward helped the club qualify for the finals for the first time since the end of the NSL, although some inconsistent form cost him his place on the plane to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. Left the Glory in January 2012 to sign a lucrative contract in China, he returned to Australia soon afterwards by joining the Central Coast Mariners. While his best years were behind him, the veteran still played his part as Graham Arnold’s side won the Championship, before enjoying one last summer in the sun.
Tony Vidmar – Joined the Central Coast Mariners shortly after being given the all-clear to resume his career after a heart problem saw him miss the World Cup in Germany. He made 15 appearances at the Mariners in season two of the competition, with himself and Lazaridis being the first members of the Golden Generation to return home. His second year with the club saw him reunited with fellow South Australian Socceroos teammate John Aloisi although as the Mariners clinched the Premiership. However, a crucial mistake in the Grand Final from the then-37 year-old saw him gift possession to Jets striker Mark Bridge, who scored what proved to be the match-winning goal, as Vidmar called time on his career in the aftermath of the season-decider.
Is it then any surprise that Mark Viduka, a player who sailed incognito into retirement, thus avoiding an A-League stint after a distinguished career especially in the Premier League, remains one of the most revered and cult figures of the Golden Generation? Meanwhile, Mark Schwarzer (still winning EPL titles on the bench after rejecting A-League calls), Mark Bresciano (though criticised by some for his Qatar stint) and Scott Chipperfield (though unpopular for his opinions on Twitter) were also spared the burden of a potentially underwhelming A-League stint.
Beyond the initial boom
Admittedly, Cahill’s signing is a big shot in the arm for the A-League which, for the last few seasons, has been hampered by perceptions of diminishing interest, especially following the emergence of Asia – in particular China – as a growing footballing financial power. It comes at a crucial time with TV rights negotiations on the horizon.
The A-League marquee pursuit (the Del Piero/Cahill types) seems to come and go in cycles. After the early excitement and anticipation, very few high-profile marquees actually win an A-League Championship, and from a footballing perspective most coaches prefer a balanced squad to building a team around one player – most famously manifested in Tony Popovic rejecting the pulling power of Michael Ballack for a younger, more functional Shinji Ono. But then without the high-profile names, the neutral interest in the league also starts to wane, which renews calls for clubs to stump up for a big name. Cahill, in the twilight of his career, and the last real remaining global brand from Australia, was the obvious choice.
It’s understandable then why Cahill had been shirking the A-League for some time. But after stints in the USA and China with mixed results, at 37 it may just be a case of options elsewhere not presenting themselves as freely anymore, with regular game time still a key requirement to prolong his Socceroos career.
In footballing terms, the signing doesn’t make a perfect match for John van ‘t Schip.
There’s little doubt that Cahill can still produce on the pitch. But he is a very particular player, one who needs the right service – mostly aerial – to be effective. And yet the question of how he will fit in the XI alongside Bruno Fornaroli, a striker more potent with the ball at his feet, remains an unknown. And without the instinctive delivery of Aaron Mooy from open play or set-pieces, who will be providing the assists for Melbourne City?
Cahill will also, for the first time in his career, be actively supported against – even booed – by a section of Australian supporters more interested in the success of their own team than his impact on the pitch. Granted that happens in most places around the world, but it’s still something he would have avoided if not signing to the A-League.
There’s already acrimony from some for the fee Cahill commanded and the time and effort exhausted in making his move to the A-League a reality. The truth is Cahill owed nothing to the A-League, his Socceroos achievements doing more to inspire a generation than most. Yet the fixation with his move as a golden goose to the credibility and reputation of the A-League persisted.
If the move doesn’t work out on the pitch – and supporters aren’t always the most forgiving lot – the whole episode may ultimately prove a needless setback to the Cahill legacy.