Thank You for the Memories, Tim

"I just cannot comprehend that Tim Cahill is no longer an Everton player"

Nick Armitage 28/07/2012 10comments  |  Jump to last
I still can’t believe it. I just cannot comprehend that Tim Cahill is no longer an Everton player. I have seen the videos of him meeting Thierry Henry and his new manager in New York, but I can’t take in that I will never see him punching a corner flag in front of the Street end again.

Deep down, I knew Cahill’s time in the Premiership was over when Vincent Kompany nailed him at Eastlands. Those two have been having ding dongs for a while now, but three seasons ago Cahill would have got up and smashed Kompany all over the pitch - and then scored the winner. But this was one hit too many, and Cahill limped out of the game. City steamrollered us that day and Cahill was helpless to prevent it. I reckon that hurt him.

The factor that undoubtedly caused Cahill’s star to fade was the part of him that made him shine so brightly in the first place; his absolute commitment to the cause.

I remember a Chelsea game at Goodison a few seasons back and Cahill went up for a header against Terry and Carvalho. It was a header he simply never had any chance of winning. He conceded a daft free kick and got a warning off the ref and I thought why the hell did he even bother contesting it? I went into work on the following Monday morning and one of my redshite colleagues showed me a picture in one of the broadsheets. When I saw it the penny dropped I laughed out loud. The photo was of that very header. Terry and Carvalho were both visibly in some discomfort as Cahill’s elbow connected with the England captain’s neck, and an Aussie knee crunched into a Portuguese ribcage. The ball had long gone. They say a picture can paint a thousand words; that one certainly did.

Every Evertonian must see this YouTube video that chronicles Cahill’s Everton goals, well 67 of them at least (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30JTRH04TDA).

Watch that video and then you realise when he said he would have gone through a brick wall, he really would have. At the start of his Everton career he was not perceived as a threat and got far too much space from his opponents. After that the secret was out and Cahill was more closely marked, but as we all know, Tim Cahill was never one to let opponents stop him.

The goal that caps it all for me was his eighteenth goal for us on the 30th March 2006. You can see it in the YouTube link in the three seconds from 0:56 to 0:59. Those three seconds encapsulate everything that made Tim Cahill what he was to us. After a characteristically weak McFadden effort bounced off a post, the ball broke loose and Cahill, characteristically, decided where it was going. And he didn’t care what happened to him, Liam Ridgewell or Richard Dunne. That day Cahill was everywhere, and at his horrible, harrying, unrelenting imperious best. It was perhaps his best display in an Everton shirt. He just battered Villa off the pitch.

Within the space of a few weeks Cahill had put his old club out of the FA Cup, singlehandedly demolished Villa and scored his first goal against the shite at Anfield. I truly believe this is the time that Everton got under Cahill’s skin and he got under ours.

Sadly all good things come to an end, and this is the end of era for us, and him. Tim Cahill has a place in our hearts, as we have in his. I need an excuse to go to New York to watch him play one more time.

Like a few blues that have gone before him, I will always love Tim Cahill. Gentleman, Evertonian, man for the big occasion, inspiration, legend.

Good luck on your next adventure Tim and thank you for the memories.

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Reader Comments (10)

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Phil Rodgers
1 Posted 29/07/2012 at 07:43:52
Excellent article. I have to admit I had a tear in my eye after watching that video. I love it when he slid that one in against the shite!
Brian Bates
2 Posted 29/07/2012 at 10:50:47
Great vid, they've updated to 68 goals now as well
Andy McNabb
3 Posted 29/07/2012 at 11:57:52
After watching the clip, Villa must hate him!
Great article.
Colin Ryan
4 Posted 29/07/2012 at 12:23:48
Great read. Cant believe Cahill is gone. Our best player of the last 10 years. Loved that corner flag celebration and the warrior spirit of the man. The only player who's name I ever got on the back of a jersey and i'm 32. Could watch that goals video every day. Legend in my eyes but the time is right to part ways.
Yessar Daou
5 Posted 29/07/2012 at 15:20:40
Awesome video clip and an awesome tribute, he'll sorely be missed.
Lee Courtliff
6 Posted 30/07/2012 at 00:19:58
Good article.

Tim will be missed.

Mike Green
7 Posted 30/07/2012 at 00:24:48
Spot on Nick. Tim Cahill fought for us every step of the way.
Joe McMahon
8 Posted 30/07/2012 at 20:18:18
Some good goals on the clip, so many against Villa and we still rarely beat them. The overhead v Chelsea, wasn't it in the last minute. I remember a last minute against City too (the winner). Great clip, but shit song though!
Denis Richardson
9 Posted 30/07/2012 at 21:34:44
Shame about the song but great clip - thanks for the link.

Was never the best of players technically but boy was he prepared to stick his head where most wouldn't even stick their boot in. For such a small player its amazing how many headers he got - even when the opposition knew that was his strength.

Thanks for the memories - I still cannot believe that overhead kick against chelsea was almost 5 years ago! Has it really been that long?

Jason Lam
10 Posted 31/07/2012 at 04:02:49
He gave his all and I truly believe he gave himself the past full season to assess whether he could still do it for us. And decided better to make way for someone else and not take our wages. Legend. I hope the club reserves the 17 jersey for a few seasons as a tribute, I doubt any player would wish to bear the mantle and expectations anyway.

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