Tim Cahill’s first fortnight in Melbourne has been a whirlwind
FROM hook turns to house-hunting and searching for schools for four kids, Tim Cahill has revealed his first fortnight in Melbourne has been a whirlwind.
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FROM hook turns and a dithering sat nav to house-hunting and searching for schools for four kids, Tim Cahill revealed that his first fortnight in Melbourne has been a whirlwind.
Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Herald Sun, Australian soccer’s pin-up boy conceded it will take time to familiarise himself with “home” having never spent more than a few days in Melbourne.
Cahill signed a two-year, multi-million-dollar deal with Melbourne City, in a massive coup for the fledgling A-League.
He’s ice-cool under pressure and dual professional sportsman and entrepreneur, yet Cahill admitted Melbourne has him stumped.
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“Any right hook turns, I won’t do it,’’ Cahill said.
“I just keep driving straight and turn left and keep going left until I get out of it.
“It’s too dangerous because think about it, 18 months I haven’t driven for in China because I had a driver.
“Two years before that I was driving on the opposite side of the road and the opposite side of the car in America.’’
With Cahill commuting from the city to City’s Bundoora training base, surely he’d been caught in Punt Road traffic.
“I don’t have a clue because every time I come home I go a different route,’’ he said.
“I drive 40 minutes to training, it’s very relaxed, it doesn’t seem as busy as Sydney.’’
Melbourne has made an early impression on Cahill, who was born and bred in Sydney and spent much of the last 19 years in metropolis’ London, New York and Shanghai.
“Melbourne is pretty awesome, very multicultural,’’ Cahill said.
“We have this group chat with the Socceroos and we have the argument which city’s better, Sydney or Melbourne.
“I’ve stuck up pictures of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Centrepoint Tower and some other boys will stick up sights of Melbourne, we have a laugh. Now that I’m in Melbourne, you can imagine the banter.
“When you drive you just find pockets of nice areas. But the food, wow. The coffee shops, just walking around Albert Park, it’s great.’’
Cahill shot to fame with English club Everton over a decade ago and then the Socceroos at the 2006 World Cup.
Since then he has produced some of Australian sport’s greatest moments, from his stunning double in the opening 2006 World Cup game to his outrageous volley against Holland in the 2014 World Cup.
In the meantime his business portfolio has grown. Cahill runs a fashion label (Cahill+), which he was modelling during the Sunday Herald Sun’s exclusive interview and photoshoot, he writes kids books (the ‘Tiny Timmy’ series), runs kids clinics (The Foxtel Tim Cahill academy) while satisfying commercial obligations (Weet-Bix and New Balance).
Soccer is the priority and at 36, Cahill knows he must be meticulous.
“Everything’s football orientated at Melbourne City, which I like,’’ he said.
Cahill debuted for Melbourne City in last Wednesday’s FFA Cup Round of 16 win at state league side Brisbane Strikers, his first Australian club game in 19 years.
Today will be Cahill’s first day off since arriving, until he flies to Perth tonight to join his Socceroos teammates ahead of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Iraq at Perth’s nib Stadium.
“Since I’ve been here my feet haven’t touched the floor. I’ve either been in the gym or on the training pitch or back on my bed resting,’’ he said.
“Sunday I’ll have the day off before I go into camp and I can’t wait.
“There’s a lot going on here but there’s an awesome vibe. Sydney when I’m home it’s pretty hectic, here I just feel relaxed.
“They say there’s four seasons in one day and you’re not lying now are you? I’ve got two jackets on and sometimes I feel like I need three.’’
By the time Cahill returns from Socceroos duty, which includes an away clash with United Arab Emirates on September 6, Melbourne’s spring weather will hopefully have kicked in.
Wife Rebekah left their four kids with family in Sydney before arriving last Thursday, where they are searching for a home and schools.
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“My wife just came up (on Thursday), so school is the number one priority now,’’ Cahill said.
“We’ve just concentrated on licenses, Medicare, health insurance, schools now and (home) is last because you’ll pick around the school. It’s difficult because I don’t know what area yet.
“We’ll probably rent, the family home’s in New Jersey, and our family’s in Sydney. It’s just nice to know we’re looked in here for three years and I’ve just got to get to know it.
“It has to be in between training and the stadium, plus the kids’ football and school.’’