Yep, it's an autobiography, not a broad commentary on the state of Aussie football.

I would have though that it warranted some discussion. It has been an integral part of so many footballers' careers, even if they went to Europe before circa 2007.

The training ground practice adopted by Guus and Pim, and probably Ange is so different from what he had before under the likes of Frank Farina.

Cahill was overlooked for Sydney United as a player. He then trialled successfully at Milwall , through his father's contacts.

Through the ball he reiterates that he was told he was, " Too slow, too small and not strong enough," to play pro football for a living. Why any coach would put limitations on any player is surprising?

I'm not sure if this has created some sort of inadvertent hostility in Cahill for a lot of Australian football below Socceroo level? He loves playing for the Socceroos, but mentions little about Australian football below that level, apart from his career in Sydney until he was 16 before he went to Milwall.

Cahill talks a lot about David Moyes as a very good player manager. It seems that most of the tactics utilised by Mooy were to stifle the other team, rather than creating a Proactive, circulation football team.

Everton spent hours practising stopping the other team playing though good defensive organisation and structure and working very hard for each other. I thought Everton were dross under Moyes and have improved markedly under Martinez.


One thing that struck me throughout the book, that many Euroroos, who went to Europe in their teens and haven't played here during their career, have a very nebulous concept of what football in Australia is.



Edited by Decentric: 23/12/2015 02:37:30 PM

I'm only upto your second point, and I'll just say that it's his biography... You're reading it with completely the wrong lense.
The FFC NC has NOTHING to do with Cahill and the HAL has almost nothing to do with him.

I've pretty well finished reading Tim Cahill's recent book.

He seems a nice sort of bloke, but there are some very interesting omissions in it. Given it is the first autobiography/biography I've read from a Socceroo who has been part of the game from pre 2005 onwards, it makes it more interesting.

The glaring omissions were:

1. There was never any mention of the regime of FFA taking over in 2005. There was absolutely nothing about this. However, I've skipped over a few bits.

2. There is never any reference to the HAL, or for that matter, the NSL. Nothing about the HAL as a playing option for Australian players. All he talks about is his time playing at Milwall, Everton, the MSL and the C League. He never once considers the HAL as a viable playing option for himself.

3. There is absolutely no acknowledgment of the FFA's NC. There is nothing about the playing style of the national teams since the take over, of Guus, Pim, Holger and Ange.

4. Cahill's major aim when he talks about putting back into the Aussie game is to run his money making football school. He also expresses frustration that it should be under the auspices of FFA using accredited coaches. Cahill brings some guy out of from Everton as a supposed paragon of football knowledge to coach the kids in his money making football school.

Cahill seems to give no consideration for a decided change in training from different coach education in Australia.

5. For the South African World Cup Qualifying campaign from 2007 - 2009 under Pim, he sums the entire two years in one sentence - that it was difficult. Given Australia had never, ever undergone a campaign through Asia over a few years this is perplexing.


6. On his World Cup coaches these comments are not as bemusing:

Hiddink - Cahill talked a lot about Guus being unapproachable and distant.

Verbeek - not one word about Pim in the entire book.

Holger - in two sentences or so described him as a good tactician and was disappointed he was sacked.

Ange - a bit like Guus, Cahill talked a lot about Ange watching his every move in camp and that he has never felt secure about his starting position or continued selection. In one comment he described playing in triangles a lot in Socceroo training under Ange.

7. On some of his teammates:

Kevin Muscat - only mentioned him once - because he was injured in a FA Cup semi. Given Muscy was an Aussie who captained the same club, Milwall, I'm gobsmacked he warranted so little coverage.

Cahill went on and on about Rhino Stevens and Paul Ifill at MiIwall, and Phil Neville and a Spanish guy at Everton - Artega?

Lucas Neill - also a former Milwall and Socceroo teammate and supposed friend, Neill warranted barely a sentence.

Most of his Golden Generation Socceroo teammates in defensive positions were labelled as having little skill, compared to the forwards and attacking players in the same team. Many key Socceroos barely warranted a mention.