CALLS GROW FOR CAHILL
THE “bring on Tim Cahill” calls are growing louder here in Russia for Australia’s greatest Socceroo to be thrown into tomorrow’s desperation World Cup clash with Denmark.
Highly respected Fox Sports expert Andy Harper has called on coach Bert van Marwijk to use the goalscoring maestro “to scare the life out of Denmark” in a game the Socceroos have to at least draw to stay alive in this tournament.
Harper has been supported by the Socceroos’ head of sports science Craig Duncan who said: “Age is often overrated. There’s one thing with Tim – you always know he’ll be ready on game day.”
The 38- year- old Cahill would join legends Pele, Miroslav Klose, Uwe Seeler and Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players to score at four World Cups if he can find the back of the net against Denmark on Thursday.
“Bring him on for 20 minutes of high impact,” Harper said, “Give him enough time to scare the life out of them, which he’ll do.
“We’ve got to make the play and find a route to goal.
“It would spur on his teammates and lift those around him the same way as he has always done.
“He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t up to it physically.
“Give him the chance to become only the fourth player in history on world’s biggest stage to match the extraordinary achievement of three legends.”
Duncan rates Cahill the most professional athlete he has worked with.
“It’s been one of the high- lights of my career to work with Tim,” Duncan said.
“He’s fantastic, just a really special athlete. The commitment he has to get to the levels to allow him to play are inspiring. He’s the most positive athlete I’ve worked with.
“With age it’s how you manage the older players.”
Cahill said he was pre- pared for a call- up at any time.
“I’m fit and feeling good,” he said. “If I get an opportunity I’ll be ready.”
The final make- up of the Socceroos will be revealed on game day. Last week van Marwijk surprised everyone, including his own players, with one major change. This time he might surprise them by doing the opposite.
After five days of weighing up a change of personnel to seek the three points Australia needs against Denmark tonight, van Marwijk is believed to be thinking seriously about fielding the same XI that started against France.
Just as with France, the de- cision will be left to the last moment, communicated to the players only on game day.
It means Massimo Luongo and Tomi Juric, the most likely changes to the team that lost so narrowly to France, will have to wait until the 11th hour to know if they will get a chance to attack the Danes from the start.