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Why is Cahill not playing for Everton in Brisbane?

Roar Pro
6th July, 2010
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Roar Pro
6th July, 2010
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3692 Reads

After the World Cup, it will be straight into domestic business. Everton Football Club is set to tour down under and is ready to play Sydney FC, Melbourne Heart, and Brisbane Roar.

I wouldn’t normally keep too much of an eye on Everton FC if it wasn’t for Tim Cahill, who will appear in both Sydney and Melbourne games, but no appearance in Brisbane. So what is the point of paying the standard $50 a ticket without its major Australian draw card?

Think of it like buying a ticket to a “Rolling Stones” concert but with no Jagger, yet paying the same price as if he were there.

Last year Brisbane Roar played Celtics Football Club, who are well supported around the world. Standard ticket pricing for that match was from $26, which included Australia’s Scott Macdonald and NZ international, Chris Killen.

The crowd of more than 30,000 and an atmosphere to remember was a great advertisement for the A-League and a sign of things to come.

12 months later and the Brisbane Roar are a shadow of their former selves.

Gone is the experienced Craig Moore, Charlie Miller, Sergio Van Dyke, Tiatto and Liam Reddy. Left for greener pastures are the youthful Tommy Oar, Adam Sarota and Michael Zullo. In comes a new manager, Ange Postecoglou, and the signs of a new club is obvious, in all but name.

The Roar lost the international 3-0.

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BRFC was a more experienced outfit then, but if they couldn’t manage to score against the Celtic, how do they expect to put any past Everton with a weaker squad? Even worse, how many will they let through?

Is Everton, less Cahill, enough to pull more than 30,000 spectators in Brisbane?

While it sounds good to have a Premier League club touring Australia, I also think its not a good look for the A-League club wanting to showcase its quality, or in this case, lack of.

Premier League clubs are also here on business, to promote themselves as an international Club brand.

Sydney FC has managed to lure Dwight Yorke back for the match against Everton. Even though he only played one season for the sky blues, he still remains a cult hero and a draw card for the harbour city.

Fans will turn up to see Dwight, Timmy, A-League Champions SFC, and Everton.

In Brisbane, they will have to pay the same price with one less Timmy and a depleted squad. What else has BR fans got to look forward to come July 17th, besides a lesson in how football should be played?

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When the clubs are so unevenly matched, would it be too much to ask Tim Cahill if he could wear the orange and maroon for just one match? We love to see Timmy score, but not at our expense.

Isn’t this what the “against racism cup” is all about? Mixing it up with one another and not against each other.

Timmy wouldn’t be playing against us; he would be playing for us. He’d be playing for the Roar and kicking goals for the A-League and probably gaining a few more supporters for Everton along the way.

In the end it’s still a highly priced $50 exhibition match that Brisbane Roar have no chance of winning.

Let’s just say our prayers that Everton don’t play too seriously and embarrass our growing League. But for now, my $50 remains safe, and as for the future of the Brisbane Roar, it looks like another season of self-discovery.

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