Colman’s Call: Socceroos still waiting for their next Tim Cahill
KIDS, we are told, idolise Tim Cahill and dream of emulating his goal scoring exploits. Mike Colman asks the question: where are they?
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The best thing about the Socceroos 2-1 win over Syria was that Tim Cahill scored two goals. The worst thing was that Tim Cahill scored two goals.
Does anyone else think it is worrying that the only Australian player who seems remotely capable of putting the ball into the back of the net with any consistency is 37 years old and eyeing off his fourth World Cup?
Like everyone else with a passing interest in football in this country I reckon Tim Cahill is a bona fide legend.
Time and time again he has saved the Socceroos from defeat and humiliation. He is a publicist’s dream who is always ready to front the media and sign autographs.
Kids, we are told, idolise him and dream of emulating his goal scoring exploits.
Which begs the question: where are they?
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Where are all these youngsters supposedly coming up through the ranks with one ambition in mind: to become the next Timmy C?
Certainly they’re not playing for the Socceroos right now.
Or if they are, they aren’t making a very good fist of it.
After the last World Cup we were told winger Mathew Leckie was Australia’s next “once in a generation” player. He has since scored six goals in 48 matches.
The strike rates of fellow attacking forwards James Troisi (5/35) and Robbie Kruse (5/59) are similarly poor.
Even Cahill’s understudy Tomi Juric has struggled in front of goal, with eight goals in 30 appearances.
And it’s not as if they aren’t getting plenty of practice.
In their final qualifying match against bottom-placed Thailand, which they needed to win by a big margin to avoid the play-offs, the Socceroos had 45 shots to eight and ended up winning 2-1.
In their previous encounter they drew 2-2, both Australian goals coming from penalties.
But for sheer ineptitude in front of goal nothing could compare to Tuesday night’s 2-1 extra-time win over Syria.
Despite 25 shots at goal – 18 more than their opponents, apart from Cahill they were clueless.
Even normally upbeat Fox commentator Andy Harper was struggling to find something positive to say as the Socceroos repeatedly worked their way into scoring positions and went to water.
“Not good enough” or “tried to be too clever” were the best he could come up with – and he was spot on.
Too often the Australians hesitated before shooting, or worse, tried to pass off to a teammate instead of pulling the trigger.
Fox studio guests John Aloisi and Archie Thompson – who both scored 27 goals for the Socceroos – must have been squirming in their chairs.
As were the viewers at home.
Coach Ange Postecoglou quit after the match citing the constant sniping of his critics.
He would say that he couldn’t go out on the field and take the shots for the players himself, but at least his successor will know where the hard work has to be done.
Not on the practice pitch. In their minds.
Originally published as Colman’s Call: Socceroos still waiting for their next Tim Cahill