Tense times between Cahill and City coach

TIM Cahill’s relationship with Melbourne City coach Warren Joyce has reached breaking point, with the two believed to be barely speaking to each other.

News Corp understands the rift began when Cahill returned from Socceroos camp in Japan and was benched for City’s FFA Cup match against Sydney FC, Joyce opting instead to play Bruce Kamau and Nick Fitzgerald up front. City went on to lose 2-0.

And, according to sources within the Socceroos camp, Joyce hasn’t once reached out to check on Cahill’s ankle injury while medical staff worked around the clock to get him fit.

Despite City losing striker Bruno Fornaroli to injury at the start of the season, Cahill has been used sparingly by Joyce. He did start against Sydney FC – the match he went on to roll his ankle in – but it’s believed Joyce’s decision to throw Cahill into the starting line-up for that game came after a crunch talk between them.

Cahill is determined to play in his fourth World Cup next year and he dropped a less than subtle hint after the Socceroos beat Honduras to qualify for Russia that he would do anything to get more regular game time – even if that means quitting City.

Cahill has a contract at City until the end of this season, but he does have the option to remain part of the City group in a coaching role beyond that. Transfer limitations mean he cannot join another A-League club in January, but Robbie Slater believes Cahill won’t struggle to find another club.

“He’s Tim Cahill, he’ll find somewhere else to go,” Slater said.

“There’s no doubt that Tim Cahill will quite easily find another club – he’s just played a World Cup qualifier against Honduras and in the qualifier before that he scored two winners.”

There have been rumours of problems at City and it’s believed Cahill isn’t the only player affected.

Incredibly, last season’s best player Neil Kilkenny can’t get a game, while Joyce left highprofile signing Ross McCormack at home with Cahill ahead of their match in Brisbane.