Tim Cahill is exactly the player the A-League needs, even if his reasons for joining Melbourne City aren’t entirely altruistic.
You could hardly accuse Football Federation Australia chief executive David Gallop of under-selling Cahill’s signing.
Pressed with the task of talking up a 36-year-old veteran who first left this country as an unheralded teen, Gallop settled for labelling Cahill’s imminent arrival the “biggest player signing in the league’s history”.
Perhaps Gallop was just being enthusiastic – it’s not like FFA did enough to market Alessandro Del Piero anyway – and in signing a current Socceroo, officials can finally appeal to that mass of middle Australia whose kids play the game but who otherwise have no connection to the A-League.
Critics have pounced on the purported $7 million Cahill will supposedly earn over two years as proof of poor value – particularly if FFA are heavily subsidising the deal.
The rest of the tab will presumably be picked up by the City Football Group, and if Cahill’s signing helps turn Melbourne City into a genuine force, who are we to complain?
Let’s not forget FFA are routinely criticised for failing to market the A-League.
We can’t have it both ways – if FFA are to promote the A-League ahead of a vital new TV deal, then signing someone like Cahill is to be applauded, even if the player himself picks up a handsome pay packet for his troubles.
While Cahill boasts genuine cut-through in a crowded marketplace, it was hardly the only story doing the rounds last week.
Central Coast Mariners’ sacking of coach Tony Walmsley was as predictable as it was pointless if owner Mike Charlesworth continues to pull the strings like a kid who has just taken Football Manager out of the box for the first time.
Charlesworth has already warned would-be applicants that the Mariners won’t be spending the entirety of the salary cap, but the real problem is that the Englishman appears to possess next-to-no knowledge of the local football landscape.
This is the same bloke who last year said he’d never heard of Mark Rudan – maybe check the NSW Premier League table, Mike – and who originally told Walmsley he didn’t care about results so long as his team was entertaining.
Yet it’s not as if Charlesworth’s crackpot scheming is FFA’s only concern. Just ask Brisbane Roar fans.
I was at Ballymore last Wednesday night and anyone who thinks it could be used as an A-League venue has got rocks in their head.
However, as disappointing as John Aloisi’s team was on the pitch, of far greater concern is the growing impasse between the current Roar coach and prospective buyer Daniel Cobb.
If Cobb is genuine about taking over at the Roar, then some serious questions must be asked of why he has thus far failed to stump up the necessary cash.
Right now, the situation in the River City is bordering on high farce and surely the last thing the Roar can afford to do if it wants to keep fans onside is lose the well-liked Aloisi and his backroom staff.
Perhaps if Cobb fails to land a gig in Brisbane he can join Optus.
The good news for Optus on the back of their first weekend broadcasting the English Premier League is that a handful of fans posted glowing reviews on social media.
The bad news is that several thousand other reviews contained the most scathing criticism imaginable.
One wonders what the Premier League makes of all this, but suffice to say Optus’ opening weekend was an unmitigated disaster.
On a more positive note, congratulations and commiserations are due in equal measure to the Matildas following their Olympics campaign.
Losing on penalties is never easy – particularly the manner in which Australia lost to host nation Brazil – but a quarter-final appearance is nothing to sniff at.
Well done to coach Alen Stajcic and his team – you’ve done the nation proud.
Arthur
Roar Rookie
Personally cant see it. If Cahill went to a Sydney based franchise I could see the synergies. Main stream in Melbourne the reaction to Cahill's arrival has been ho-hum. Lets see what transpires after the Olympics and AFL finals I suppose.
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
Point taken, but if it's true that McLaren and others are in court trying to get contracts cancelled, then how many more top players do we have to lose before the FFA steps in? This is destroying the club!
Midfielder
Guest
Last paragraph should read without FFA intervention not with as is posted. sorry all
Midfielder
Guest
Rob I think FFA will step in as a matter of last resort only... they don't want to tie up money and management time in running another club.... Cobb's history is HHHmmmmmm not good .... the B's have some huge financial issues at home and seem to want to hold the club until a buyer can be found... All in all not great ... having said that if the bills do (we can hope) get paid and a decent squad with a decent coaching staff is in place then in a legal sense its difficult to act... its easy to say they have had many chances but equally everything they have been asked to do by FFA to date has by and large in time been done. Cobb's statement today seems to only cloud the waters even more... I hope it can be solved with FFA intervention but accept FFA could be forced into acting.... My memory is long and I can recall the old Soccer Australia trying to take actions against clubs and when clubs don't accept your decisions and take you to court by heck it becomes messy... and I can't see the B's lying down and I think Gallop knows it and while it is easy to say just go in and do it .... in practise its a a very difficult to do if the other side decide to fight you in the courts.
Midfielder
Guest
Ben Something I always find eeerrrrrr strange is maybe the right word but also maybe not.. Many of those who want P & R point to the bad Mariner year last year ..... consider if a club that can produce roughly 40% of current Socceroos be third on the overall A-League table average 8.5 K to games have an academy structure and connections to its association ... if the Mariners can't cut it and don't deserve a place then om what basic does anyone else out there in the NPL... Me thinks there is a degree of snobbery in inner city Sydney and Melbourne coffee shops and a certain broadcaster who see the non ethnic team in a RL heartland in a beach suburb as somehow not as worthy as say an inner city team with ethnic roots. Back onto current matters this season we are still to some extent recovering from the Moss era [not the TW one] it was Moss who resigned and signed maybe 16 players in our team and at this he was totally out of his depth... add the TW is not a great coach and it was a terrible year... with a decent coach and better players we will improve this year.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
OK. Hope its true, but maybe he changed his mind and didn't sign or his wife changed it for him. :)
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
I didn't read much "applauding" of Tim Cahill either. What's so wrong about liking the A-League and being positive about the new season anyway?
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
Can't blame the guy for calling it like it is. Ballymore is no good as an A-League venue, pure and simple. Cobb and the Bakrie Grouo are a disaster unfolding right before the FFA's eyes, while they throw money at Timmy Cahill. Signing Cahill is good for the league, but it's reasonable to question everything else that's going on in the meantime. Mature discussion doesn't mean only praising the FFA when they get it right, but shining a light on the errors too. You seem pretty critical yourself there, Bob.
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
Nah, Globoesporte.com reports on speculation, including foreign press reports that someone is "following" a particular player, so for there to be nothing there, despite the SMH article, is odd. I rechecked specifically to see if they had any reports on Bobo, but nada.
Waz
Guest
Bob, can't speak for Kaks but "annoyed" in my case that it's necessary to reverse the decline in attendances and tv viewing. Glad he's here personally and can't wait to see him in Brisbane in R5 but wish we didn't need him
hogdriller
Roar Rookie
Yeh well...no doubt MV sniffing around like they do.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Mike, I've read and re-read your article and didn't find a lot of positiive news in it really. You seemed to me to be criticising David Gallop and the FFA, questioning Cahill's motives, attacking Mike Charlesworth, Ballymore, Brisbane Roar, Daniel Cobb and Optus. You didn't outline at all what Tim Cahill is going to offer the A-League, as your title suggested. You are a knowledgeable football writer and I'v enjoyed reading your articles, but this isn't one of them.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
You are "annoyed" Tim Cahill is playing in the A-League. WOW. And you call yourself a football fan. Stop the deception now Pippinu.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
The train of thought in regards to the Mariners' viability has predominantly moved towards the positive as the years progress and the Mariners remain. Much of the remaining negative commentary appears to stem from those with a vested interest in seeing a North Sydney side emerge.
aladdin sane
Guest
doesn't come close in what respect Waz? In terms of being a socceroo, and what he has achieved for the NT, Timmy is unquestionably number one. But in terms of ability as a player and level played at, Kewell hands down. Before injuries ruined him, he was among the best wide left midfielders in the world, every big club in England chasing him and he got to take his pick. Media stuff is a worthy consideration too which I hadn't considered! Tim can give plenty in this respect (and judging from Harry's debut on tv on the weekend, I recon it's probably not his jam :D)
Midfielder
Guest
Oh Bob lets put you in charge ... you are so correct... kick out am owner who legally holds a license brilliant idea I am sure the current owners would allow this to happen... and Fcuk the Mariners produced about 40% of current Socceroos, have the best training facility in the country and within three years one of the best in the world... lets kick them out after one terrible season... Nail on head is equal to Knee Jurke Reaction.... or maybe that Malcolm Roberts from One Nation who argued that Brain Cox was wrong because NASA corrupted the data...
Ian
Guest
Perhaps Bob as a Guru - who has written two articles - can write some of these positive articles he seeks. I've made a thousand or so comments on this site but I haven't escalated myself to Guru status, let alone 'Pro' or even 'Rookie' status. I'm just a regular punter (no pun intended for Punter)
bobbym
Guest
If you have ever had shares in OZ companies operating in Indo you'll know Indo business practices are a basket case. Roar need to get new owners, FFA should take over Mariners will I think be replace by a new A league team within a couple of years a town the size of Gosford can't sustain a team - the experiment is over- should merge them with Newcastle. Streaming of EPL on Optus will be a disaster because of our poor NBN network. Cahill will help the league prolife BUT the league needs 2 - 4 new teams and better star imports going forward.
Paul
Guest
It’s just a shame that Brisbane failed to meet payer payments yesterday and several, including Jamie MacLaren, are going to court today to get a release from their contracts. #FFAepicFAIL
Paul
Guest
What the A League needs is stable clubs and an administration capable of managing the game. It’s just a shame that Brisbane failed to meet payer payments yesterday and several, including Jamie MacLaren, are going to court today to get a release from their contracts. #FFAepicFAIL