Tim Cahill likes what he sees as World Cup hopes go on the line

Socceroos legend Tim Cahill likes what he sees as Australia gears up for World Cup qualifier.

Tim Cahill prepares for tonight’s date with destiny

Tim Cahill has been to three World Cups, scored in each of them as a matter of fact, and is driven to get to a fourth in Russia next year.

Nothing, he says, will get in his or the Socceroos’ way when they play Honduras tonight.

He has seen it over the past week, the look in the eyes of his teammates. He likes what he sees.

“I know what will be will be, but if we really just get into gear and give everything for this one game and click, it should be really positive,” Cahill said yesterday. “I feel that’s the biggest thing that I like, what I see at the moment.

“I like what I see in this camp, everything seems to be going really fluent.

“The game over there (0-0 draw) ... clean sheet away from home, disciplined, resilient, compact and they didn’t really have too many chances compared to how many we had.

“On a nice (ANZ Stadium) playing pitch and us really well drilled, it’s there if we really want to take it. That’s why I think it will be an awesome night if we can click.”

Big occasions are nothing new for the man who has so often delivered at every level. We saw it against Syria with another cometh the hour, cometh the man moment in scoring both goals in the second leg 2-1 win at ANZ Stadium last month.

Nerves won’t be a factor for him.

“Come on, what nerves?” he said when the question was posed to him. “I’ve been here so many times before. It’s not nerves.

“One thing we will be doing is to take the nerves away from as many players as possible so they’re prepared, not overawed by the occasion. All the games we’ve played, they’re all the same.

“The trip to Honduras, the main thing was knowing I’d be there with Mile (Jedinak), knowing Millsy (Mark Milligan) wouldn’t be (there) — the boys understanding how big a result it was.

“We’re about sticking together. This is going to be massive for our country. It’s 90 minutes. I can’t see it going longer than that, to create more history for our country.”

While he is a World Cup veteran, the 37-year-old understands what it will mean for guys who haven’t had a taste of being at the finals. Players like Trent Sainsbury, Robbie Kruse, Tommy Rogic, Danny Vukovic and Alex Gersbach.

“Playing at the Cup, that’s got to be the motivation for them and the next group of lads coming through,” Cahill said. “They’ve got to understand how big it is. That’s the biggest thing of having Mile in camp and now Millsy is back, we can drive in-house messages to the lads.

“Little things that make a difference on the night. The most telling thing tomorrow night will be composure.

“We’re ready. I’m buzzing with a group of players — it feels like this is our time. On the night it will come down to someone taking their chance, the defining moment that separates men from boys.”