Buzz Rothfield: Why won’t coach Bert van Marwijk respect Tim Cahill and play him in Russia?
AUSTRALIA’S 1-all draw with Denmark left Socceroos fans asking just one question: Why is Tim Cahill even at the World Cup?
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AUSTRALIA’S 1-all draw with Denmark left Socceroos fans asking just one question.
Why is Tim Cahill at the World Cup?
Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk continues to inexplicably snub Australia’s greatest ever player and goal scorer here in Russia.
The veteran who has scored 50 goals for the Socceroos left sitting helplessly on the bench when this match was on the line.
The Socceroos came oh so close but lacked the deft finishing touches.
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That little bit of class and composure that Cahill may have delivered like he has done on so many occasions in the past.
It’s the Aussie way of playing sport to be adventurous and daring.
To attack and take risks. Not that anyone has told the coach.
Before the game soon-to-be national coach Graham Arnold told me he would have played Cahill.
He wouldn’t expand out of respect to the current coaching staff.
Most thought he should have played against France and Denmark. Not to start but as a second-half weapon to put the fear of god into them.
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We were the better team but couldn’t convert a number of opportunities. That’s all it was.
Daniel Arzani, the boy from Melbourne City, got his chance and was magnificent.
He is the next big thing in Australian soccer but why not unleash him from the start.
Again it comes back to being bold and brave and trying something new.
Matthew Leckie too was absolutely outstanding. He led a recovery from a poor opening 20 minutes and we ended up creating far more chances.
So back to Cahill and the questions about his selection in the squad at 38 years of age when there was an opportunity to give a younger player the experience of World Cup pressure cooker footy.
Maybe Bert is waiting for the last moment which is on Tuesday against Peru in a game as desperate as it gets in that we either win or we’re out.
Time has all but run out.
This is not just a selection to add goal-scoring strike power to the Socceroos.
It’s a psychological manoeuvre too because Cahill scares opponents. Just his presence intimidates.
An old champion respected globally in football circles.
By all except our own coach.