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Tim Cahill still as hungry as ever for Socceroos success

(Photo: Peter McAlpine)
21st March, 2017
7

His body might be finally starting to catch up with his age but Tim Cahill says the burning desire that has made him a Socceroos legend has not left him.

Cahill has played just 106 minutes of A-League football over the past five weeks but remains an integral part of Australia’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

The 37-year-old has not started an international for almost a year, having seemingly passed on the mantle of being the country’s top striker to Tomi Juric to become a full-time bench weapon.

He’s been carefully managed by Melbourne City but, with another season left to run on his contract and the Confederations Cup also looming large, he has no intention of slowing down.

“The time comes when you want it to finish,” Cahill told reporters in Tehran ahead of Thursday night’s qualifier against Iraq.

“It has to be a motivational thing – I play because I’m passionate and I love the game.

“My passion outweighs anyone’s, in my opinion.

“I’m still a player that’s running, chasing down defenders – not just going through the motions.

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“People say ‘he’s only played a few minutes. What’s he going to do in Socceroos camp?’

“But the week before, I played 120 minutes in an intra-club game – the week before, 60 minutes.

“You know when you don’t want to wake up at seven in the morning, go to training at eight and finish at three when everyone’s going home at one.

“That’s not left me.

“I don’t see myself as a player who wants to finish any time soon, or doesn’t have the appetite.”

Having played 94 times at international level, Cahill can overtake Brett Emerton (95) and equal Lucas Neill (96) as Australia’s second-most capped player if he features against Iraq and then the UAE next week in Sydney.

He is still a way off Mark Schwarzer’s record of 109 caps but is only two strikes away from reaching 50 goals for the Socceroos.

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“Everyone loves individual goals but I never set out just to be breaking records for Australia,” he said.

“When I have conversations here, I’m looking for my next best moment in a Socceroos jersey, and I’m looking for my next best moment in a Melbourne City jersey – and I just had it against Newcastle.

“But that’s not over, because I’m looking for more moments like that. I’m working harder now as I get older to do all that.”

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