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Seasoned Everton manager David Moyes has been well renowned for voicing his opinion on contentious issues; Tim Cahill’s Asian Cup odyssey is no exception.
Moyes is reportedly unhappy regarding Cahill’s absence during a vital period of the English football season and is threatening to withhold Cahill’s match payments in January 2011.
The Socceroos will be contesting the prestigious Asian Cup tournament which is recognised as the panicle continental event within the Asian Football Confederation. Similar to the European Championship and the African Cup of Nations, the Asian Cup holds high importance within Asia.
The Asian Cup is an important event and crucially on a FIFA approved date. Therefore how can David Moyes justify his argument?
Football has been globalised to extraordinary lengths over the past couple of decades; we only need to look at the influx of imports plying their trade in the English Premier League.
To have this selfish, naive and egotistic attitude towards a player who not only wears his heart on his sleave for his country, but also when representing his club Everton is plain right arrogant.
Tim Cahill is a man of pride, it is evident in the manner he speaks so highly for his club and country an in addition his admiration he deploys towards his fans.
For Moyes to place this unwanted and unnecessary club versus country argument is egotistical and demonstrates the arrogance he is employing towards his star player.
Moyes has called for a modification in the FIFA law where International Federations pay players’ wages during tournaments like the Asian Cup.
“We sign African players and we accept that they will be away to the African Cup of Nations. When we signed Tim Cahill, Australia were not in Asia’s pool, they were in Oceania. So we didn’t expect to be missing Tim Cahill [for the Asian Cup]. You can’t ask them to change, but maybe if you are going to take the player away in the middle of the season then shouldn’t a club get reimbursed”, Moyes said.
Moyes’ old school thought process is not doing his reputation any favours. It seems as though he is suffering from double standards syndrome.
How does it make it any different for a player to be representing their country for the African Cup of Nations as opposed to Cahill representing Australia in the Asian Cup? Contradiction and foul play in possessing double standards won’t give Moyes’ argument any more credibility.
Cahill signed for Everton from Millwall at the start of the 2004-05 season. Since then Australia have been a part of the AFC since 2006, almost five years ago, yet Moyes still hasn’t adapted to Cahill’s Asian flavour.
The English football season is well known to be emotionally and physically tormenting at times during the rigid slug-fest of fixtures presented before the clubs. The reliance on Cahill saving Everton’s blushes is a contributing factor to why Moyes is awfully animated about Cahill’s absence for the regional cup.
“They are due to take him mid to late December and depending on how far they go in the tournament will determine how long he is away. I’m trying to delay him going until January and will do the best I can, but I think it’s unfair. Tim is massively important for us. He is going to be a really big miss,” Moyes said.
How can Moyes expect Cahill to join his Socceroo team-mates a few days before the start of a high profile tournament? You would think a manager of his credentials and experience would contain a little more common sense.
It’s time Moyes takes some initiative and accepts that Australia is a serious football nation. He has had a good four years to come to terms with this arrangement.
A squad should be built around depth and consistency among the group, a trait wonderfully represented by the European Champions Internazionale who claimed the historic treble during the 2009-10 season. Perhaps Moyes wouldn’t be so animated if his reliance on Cahill wasn’t so extreme.
David Moyes’ animosity towards Cahill’s International duties has been well documented over the years. Travel times, wear and tear of the body and an increased amount of game time have been some of the arguments used.
However, obtaining double standards, whereby accepting the loss of African players during their continental tournament but not Cahill’s involvement during the Asian Cup is categorically disrespectful towards not only Cahill himself, but also Australian football. Hopefully Cahill can showcase the Asian Cup crown back to Goodison Park, just to place a smile on David Moyes’ sour face.
Image via Flickr: nicksarebi
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