Adam Taggart ready to take Tim Cahill’s mantle at Socceroos

Adam Taggart knows better than most how many suitors have tried to replace Tim Cahill as the Socceroos’ goalgetter-in-chief.

Adam Taggart on the ball in a friendly against South Korea in June. Picture: Getty Images

Adam Taggart knows better than most how many suitors have tried to replace Tim Cahill as the Socceroos’ goalgetter-in-chief, since he first had a shot more than five years ago.

But now, scoring goals for fun in Korea and far more mature since his shock World Cup selection against Spain in 2014, Taggart feels ready to accept the challenge of scoring the goals that could lead Australia to another World Cup.

The 26-year-old’s rich vein of form since moving to Korea in February has continued an extraordinary run of scoring, accruing 27 goals in 42 games for Brisbane Roar and Suwon Bluewings over the past 11 months.

It makes a powerful case to lead the Socceroos attack when the World Cup qualifiers begin in Kuwait on September 10, and Taggart is itching to get into camp next week after coach Graham Arnold named his squad yesterday.

With Tom Rogic, Daniel Arzani, Martin Boyle and Robbie Kruse all injured, a new wave of talent including Awer Mabil, Ajdin Hrustic and Brandon Borrello is likely to support Taggart in Kuwait City.

“I’ve always said that when I’m fit and healthy, everything else follows, and that’s what I’ve been trying to focus on this past year or more,” Taggart told The Weekend Australian.

“When I’m enjoying playing, everything else comes easily and I feel like I’m really getting the benefit of that now.

“There’s some really good players here at Suwon and every day training is challenging and you’re really tested.

“So after that, games are actually fun, it’s like the reward at the end of the week, and I’d love to do that for Australia too.

“It’s a feeling you can’t describe, to play for your country surrounded by a bunch of good mates you’ve grown up with. I’m feeling confident and calm after a really good 18 months of regular games, and I’d love the opportunity to try and continue that against Kuwait.

“I’ve never played in a World Cup qualifier before, and it would be a huge honour.”

Stream live coverage of La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the EFL Championship with beIN SPORTS on KAYO. Get your 14 day free trial & start streaming instantly >

What makes his current form all the more satisfying is another extraordinary statistic — after scoring for Newcastle in April 2014, it would be two-and-a-half years until his next goal, thanks to a series of injuries that blighted his move to then English Premier League side Fulham just after that appearance at the World Cup.

For a player with a prodigious scoring ratio before and after that period, it was a miserable part of his life.

“That period was a disaster, there’s no other word,” Taggart said. “I was young, just starting in Europe, and the injuries were so badly timed.

“But it’s important to recognise that and learn from it. You spend so much time in your career forgetting to be happy. But when you start out as a kid that’s why you play, because it makes you happy.

“It shouldn’t be a stress and a hassle, and I won’t forget that now. I’ve settled well in Korea, and there’s so much about this culture I appreciate.”

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

SOCCEROOS SQUAD v KUWAIT SEPT 10

Mustafa Amini, Aziz Behich, Brandon Borrello, Milos Degenek, Apostolos Giannou, Craig Goodwin, Rhyan Grant, Ajdin Hrustic, Jackson Irvine, James Jeggo, Mitchell Langerak, Mathew Leckie, Massimo Luongo, Awer Mabil, Jamie Maclaren, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Andrew Redmayne, Mathew Ryan, Trent Sainsbury, Brad Smith, Harry Souttar, Adam Taggart