Tim Cahill is, of course, one of the greatest-ever Socceroos. Five goals over the course of four World Cups and countless winners to get us there in the first place solidified his on-field legacy.
Who could forget the historic equaliser and winner in Kaiserslautern in 2006?
That incredible left-foot over the shoulder volley against the Netherlands in 2014?
He enjoyed a distinguished club career too, with 56 Premier League goals for Everton and even a Ballon d’Or nomination in 2006.
Along the way there were stops in China, the United States and back home in the A-League, before a short stint with Millwall and a final pay day in India.
In fact, beginning with the move to New York Red Bulls 10 years ago when Cahill was 33 years old, it seems rather than winning his primary motivation became the almighty dollar.
But fair enough, right? A footballer’s career is short – 15 to 20 years at most, if they’re lucky.
The problem with Timmy is he seems to love an earn a little too much, and will take it in any way it comes.
“They asked if I would take part, even though I was only 14 at the time and it was an under-20 tournament,” he said about representing Western Samoa back in 1994.
“I saw it simply as a chance to go on holiday because my grandmother was ill at the time in Samoa. It was a chance to go back and see her on expenses as the Samoans were paying for all my flights, accommodation and living expenses.
“I could not have cared less about playing for them. It was a men’s tournament and I never expected to play.”
I could not have cared less.
Some might qualify those statements, pointing to the fact Cahill was 23 at the time. Maybe it was the foolishness of youth. Perhaps he regrets those comments now that he’s retired.
But judging by how he’s sold out for FIFA and the Qatar regime, as far as I’m concerned the pursuit of free stuff and seven-figure paycheques shows he was only ever in it for the money.
Cahill is employed as a ‘Qatar Legacy Ambassador’, which sounds like code for sportswashing ambassador.
He’s either blissfully ignorant about the Qatar regime, or simply doesn’t care as long as the cheques keep clearing. And that is nothing short of disgraceful.
Timmy’s got his fingers in many pies, also holding the position of Chief Sports Officer for Qatar’s Aspire Academy and he was selected as Australia’s Head of Delegation for the World Cup.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images for Australia Football)
Accepting the Head of Delegation position is one thing. He’s still representing his country and as controversial as the context of this World Cup is, I could understand it if it was just that role.
But by taking their money Cahill is complicit in Qatar’s attempt to sportswash their image and sweep human rights abuses under the rug.
When SBS journalist Ben Lewis interviewed Cahill before the start of the World Cup all was fine until questioning turned to the Middle Eastern nation’s human rights record.
Just look at what Cahill’s eyes do when Lewis asks the question. You can see, just from his facial expression, how uncomfortable the former Socceroo is. Luckily for Timmy, a rep from one of FIFA’s sponsors pulls the plug before he has a chance to answer.
Lewis was promised a follow-up interview. You won’t be surprised to read that it never happened.
I’m sure Cahill’s press conference later being cancelled due to “scheduling issues” was totally above board and definitely not him ducking tough questions from journos.
It pains me to write all this because of how his goals for the national team made me feel. Tim Cahill was superhuman in my 10-year-old eyes when he turned the Japan game in 2006 on its head with two monumental goals in the space of five minutes.
But his insatiable hunger to expand his bank account has completely and irrevocably tarnished his legacy.
Jwoo
Guest
A rookie journo trying to make his name by panning a sporting legend. Is the irony lost on everyone?
Lazza
Guest
Roar staff aren't 'afraid' to tell us that the biggest, most popular, most watched sport on the planet is 'unwatchable'. They do it on the eve of our biggest game in years in the world's most watched sporting event.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
A professional sportsman that's in for the money, who would have thought that!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Cahill was one of the best all time with his head. I dont get how a player who is great aerially has limited talent but someone who is hopeless with their head but good on the ground has it. The shame with Cahill is he should really have played with a top of the table team as a striker when he was younger and he should have always been picked at striker for the Socceroos above Viduka especially, because his heading abilty is the perfect counter to teams parking the bus. Cahill was loyal to Everton for no good reason, he helped a mediocre team finish higher up the EPL table when his real value lay in being a counter to parked buses for top level teams.
Mark
Guest
Quite a deep thought this and if we all have some introspection maybe we are all living in a grey area. Some would say and have accused me of working in an amoral industry myself; Finance. I suppose it is up to the individual themselves to stick to their own moral code, and if that's what Cahill and Smith accept then that's their choice. But we can all be judged for our choices in life.
RayinSydney
Roar Rookie
who else would his book be about??
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Aside from the fact that Foster, as a result of his experiences with others, has become an activist, you're confusing opening up avenues for Australian football to bring in money with personally profiting from a particular source that engages in well-known exploitative and discriminatory practices.
Marcel
Guest
When a person writes a book about themselves surely that is to be expected.
Marcel
Guest
I'm reasonably certain that the Qataris feel the same way about the reporting of their own issues. Which was kinda my original my point.
Shounak
Roar Rookie
Excellent article mate. What Cahill is doing right now (willingly becoming Qatar’s sportswasher ambassador in chief) leaves a really bitter taste in the mouth. It’s one thing to participate in Qatar’s disgusting World Cup, it’s another thing entirely to lend your name to it in such a way that Cahill has.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
He's pretty quiet isn't he, Andrea.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
Not as much waste as the $200 billion Qatar put up to stage the whole shebang. Has there ever in history been so much money wasted in such little time for the sake of a game? With 8 billion people on the planet, the majority in poverty, the money could probably have been better spent.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
Oh good lord. The hand wringing that goes on with respect to our environmental, immigration, and indigenous practices is completely unwarranted and unproductive. I would put our record on these matters up against any one of these countries any day of the week and twice on Sundays. It is only our wacky socialist media, Greens and Labor that want you to believe we belong in the dungeon of human rights abusers and that perennial self-flagellation is the only way we can feel good about ourselves as a nation.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
No. He doesn't. Or maybe he does. But he cannot avoid judgement, or somehow expect to be teflon-coated and not answer questions if "Qatar Legacy Ambassador" is embossed on his name tag. The position itself must entail some kind of public relations. His hands are dirty in the eyes of some, whether he likes it or not, cares or not. As long as he can live with his conscience then that's fine. Many people ply their trade in the Middle East, there is tax-free money on offer. The point is really how can we expect the standard of living and the human rights of workers to improve in the Middle East if we (westerners) keep taking the coin from regimes such as this that are serendipitously propped up by enormous mineral, oil and gas wealth, thereby tacitly supporting them. Personally, I'd be more concerned with the influx of wealth from the ME hoovering up land and property, football teams and hedge funds in the heart of western democracies.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
Que? You posted about 10 paragraphs and my response is a bit too in depth? :laughing:
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
And I’ll leave you to moan a little longer zzzzzzzz
sheek
Roar Guru
Loosey, That’s a bit too in depth a response really. Of course, Cahill & Smith couldn’t give a stuff what social media thinks. We know that too, or those of us who don’t take ourselves too seriously. Cahill & Smith have to live with their own conscience. Or chuckle continuously while they jump into their pool of notes & coins like Scrooge McDuck used to. I come on here because I’m mostly bored. I need to fix that soon, & get back to my reading, which is more mentally beneficial & without the insidious responses found on social media.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Sure, but how many 14 year olds you know are fully mature, and don't make naive decisions on occasions?
Megeng
Roar Rookie
The counter argument is running the world cup in Qatar will give them an incentive to improve their legacy. Internationalise them if you will. Having been there a few times it's noticeable the difference in rights between the locals and the imported workers that do all the work. They're simply taking advantage of economic asymmetry, sort of like we do with backpackers. But we're all good, right?
Loosey
Roar Rookie
We only pass judgement on the Cahill's and the Smith's of this world because we'll never be in the position to make that decision ourselves, i.e. take the money or stick to my principles. It's good not to have that problem and tap on a keyboard anonymously. I'm sure Tim is feet up in a five star hotel or on a yacht in Doha harbour right now and sleeping soundly at night.