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Tim Cahill


Murfy1
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deserves its own thread

 

Melbourne City close to securing Tim Cahill for next season

 

12:00AM JUNE 17, 2016

Ray Gatt

 

Melbourne City are understood to be on the verge of announcing the signing of Tim Cahill for next season’s A-League competition.

In what would be a huge coup for the Victorian club and a landmark moment for the national league, sources suggest the deal to bring the Socceroos legend home is all but done.

The move, revealed exclusively by The Australian last week, will see Cahill become the face of Australian soccer and provide a promotional and marketing boost to the profile of City and the A-League.

It comes at a time when Football Federation Australia is in the middle of negotiating a new television broadcasting deal. The current deal, worth $160 million over four years, expires at the end of the 2016-17 season, and the head body, which has been experiencing some financial ­issues, is holding out hopes of doubling it.

The Socceroos talisman will be a significant bargaining chip, especially if the deal includes a free-to-air component.

Cahill, 37 in ­December, has been playing in China since last year, first with Shanghai Shenhua, where he scored 11 goals in 28 games, and lately with Hangzhou Greentown.

Unfortunately, Hangzhou have been struggling this season and are sitting second from bottom with just nine points from 13 games and in danger of being relegated. Cahill has scored three goals in 11 games and provided several assists.

It is understood the club will not take up an option to retain him when the Chinese transfer window opens on Monday.

However, Cahill has attracted interested from several other Chinese Super League clubs, including cashed-up Shanghai SIPG, who are coached by former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson. It’s also believed there is interest from Major League Soccer in the US, and from English clubs.

Melbourne City, who are backed by the City Football Group, owners of the Manchester City and New York City clubs, have been negotiating with ­Cahill for the past three months.

The club is desperate to make an impact in the A-League and emerge from the shadow of bitter rivals Melbourne Victory, and view Cahill as the perfect marketing and promotional tool as well as being someone who can help them on the field.

The club averaged home crowds of 11,000 last season, and Cahill, who is immensely popular among kids, could give them a significant boost in that area.

The major stumbling block to City signing the Socceroo was removed last week when a meeting of A-League club chairmen voted to amend the guest player rule.

Clubs were initially asked to allow for a third marquee but this was overruled. A compromise was reached regarding the signing of guest players so that City, who already have two marquees, could fit Cahill into their roster.

Under normal circumstances, clubs can sign a guest player on a 14-game contract. However, under the amendment, they can now sign a player, provided he is deemed of the highest quality by FFA, for the entire season in what will be a one-off for next season.

City are expected to soon announce the signing of a high-profile overseas player to join Bruno Fornaroli as their two marquees.

 

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/football/melbourne-city-close-to-securing-tim-cahill-for-next-season/news-story/8f9f8fb590aaa904f5804df0b416c178

Edited by Murfy1
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If this guy can propel us to success on and off the field in the same way he has been instrumental with the Socceroos then it's all upside. We know he can score and with Bruno they could form a solid partnership which could be lethal. Just hope it doesn't turn into a circus and finish up in a David Villa like manner. Cautiously optimistic but waiting to see the rest of the squad ... and then there's always the JvS fcukup factor. It's gonna be another roller coaster ride.

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9 minutes ago, rass said:

You don't get it, do you... 

The FFA have bent their own rules just so someone (us) could bring Cahill back. It's Cahill or no-one.

Effectively a free hit outside of the cap and a massive advantage over any other club in the league. 

Why wouldn't you? 

Exactly. It's another step closer to a greatcorporate club. Where as the mighty heart was never that at all, it was a real club apparently and had a solid identity. 

Edited by Dylan
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As long as Bruno isn't affected I'll be happy if Cahill signs. Imagine the chaos if Bruno is benched for Cahill :ph34r:

Anyway who cares about Cahill, I'm more keen to hear some rumors about who this" high-profile overseas player" will be

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If you saw how many people had "Villa" on the back of their kit last season that should be reason enough to sign him. As @rass put it, it's a free hit. It doesn't impact on the cap why the hell wouldn't we. If it only brings in 2000 new fans on the reg that's 2000 more than last season. I've always said on here marquees aren't going to be the way to build a fan base but they can be a useful cog in the wheel. yes there are questions about how he'd fit in with Bruno but maybe for once JVS' disregard for a players position might just pay off

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3 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

One thing no one has mentioned is Cahill's attitude. The guy is a winner.

Has to be a bonus for a dressing room (especially ours).

But an unfornuate signing for the corner flags

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47 minutes ago, rass said:

You don't get it, do you... 

The FFA have bent their own rules just so someone (us) could bring Cahill back. It's Cahill or no-one.

Effectively a free hit outside of the cap and a massive advantage over any other club in the league. 

Why wouldn't you? 

If this was Sydney FC who did this, we'd all be up in arms. Legit hypocrisy. 

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I think the difference between other old players we've signed is Cahill is still playing and performing. Koren and co. had spent their last few seasons warming the bench.

11 goals in 28 games,and 3 goals in 11 games is not a bad return.
Besides our woeful defense the other big difference between us and the other leading clubs  last season (and seasons before that) was we never had anyone on the bench who we could turn to to win a game. Cahill coming off the bench would be epic. Imagine defenders having to worry about deciding if they should mark Bruno or Cahill.

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7 minutes ago, morphine said:

If this was Sydney FC who did this, we'd all be up in arms. Legit hypocrisy. 

What has that got to do with the original whinging post you made about the signing? Or are you just grasping for a legitimate reason to be angry about something?

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11 minutes ago, Embee said:

What has that got to do with the original whinging post you made about the signing? Or are you just grasping for a legitimate reason to be angry about something?

It's a continuation of the topic. I didn't realise we now magically had a third marquee slot. 

Wouldnt have thought it was that far of a leap to deserve a whack? You don't think it's hypocritical?

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On 17/06/2016 at 8:46 AM, [LIBBA] said:

We don't lose a marquee spot by signing him from all reports.

FFS what is the fuckin problem here!!!!

 

I don't get it either.

Same people that would up in arms if Victards signed him.

If we want to be No.1 this is what needs to happen.

Can't wait for the derby games when we beat them to a pulp.

Bruno and Tim

 

 

Edited by playmaker
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My opinion of TC hasn't changed, but this is essentially a free-kick given to City by FFA - everything else so far has a penalty against us - so why the hell not take it?
The change in the guest player rule is for all clubs, not just us, so the door is open to the others as well. And the rule is very likely to stay in place rather than be rescinded, so it's another step towards improving the standard right across the board.
And I reckon CFG will have extracted their pound of flesh from FFA in various other ways by splashing out on TC.

Edit: Reading Gatt's article more closely it indicates that the extension of the guest player quota to the whole season is a one-off for next season only.

Edited by jw1739
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2 hours ago, morphine said:

He's 37. 37 years old. At what point is enough enough? Signing someone 10 years younger - 27 - is still on the wrong side of Father Time. 

This isn't a football decision, it's a marketing one. What another shambles. 

27 too old? Are you serious?

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Only twice have we had an opening / first home round attendance above 9k - the Villa game against Newcastle (crowd of 15.7k) and a Wellington game just over 11k.

So as far as I'm concerned, bringing Timmy Cahill in will give us such a massive supporter boost that this is awesome.

And given how inept the Villa experience was, I'd bet CFG has learned their lesson (particularly since they've push for the full season guest spot). Time will tell however.

Overall, and as others have said, this is a free hit / free pass.

Fingers crossed about the infamous injury plague for marques not fucking occurring 😬

Edited by mattyh001
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2 hours ago, morphine said:

It's a continuation of the topic. I didn't realise we now magically had a third marquee slot. 

Wouldnt have thought it was that far of a leap to deserve a whack? You don't think it's hypocritical?

You said in another topic your being facetious. Come on now, admit it. Your simply a miserable bastard. 

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Signing Cahill as a 1 year loan Marquee is absolute bonus. 

The soccer question is the interesting part of the question. I'm assuming we retain Bruno and lose Novillo and Mooy and get a quality attacking Midfielder. 

So that therefore lends to a 442 (diamond or flat) with Bruno and Tim upfront will more often than not Tim pushing onto the last man. That then frees up Bruno to roam. The only flaw that leaves us narrow unless we can get some quality wide mids or attacking fullbacks (which we lost in Garrucio and Zullo).

But regardless, getting Cahill is a bonus and a good tactician can solve this purely soccer problem. That's were my concern lies.

Can see some unbalanced team selections coming combined with some bizare formations next season.

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1 minute ago, Jovan said:

Signing Cahill as a 1 year loan Marquee is absolute bonus.

The soccer question is the interesting part of the question. I'm assuming we retain Bruno and lose Novillo and Mooy and get a quality attacking Midfielder.

So that therefore lends to a 442 (diamond or flat) with Bruno and Tim upfront will more often than not Tim pushing onto the last man. That then frees up Bruno to roam. The only flaw that leaves us narrow unless we can get some quality wide mids or attacking fullbacks (which we lost in Garrucio and Zullo).

But regardless, getting Cahill is a bonus and a good tactician can solve this purely soccer problem. That's were my concern lies.

Can see some unbalanced team selections coming combined with some bizare formations next season.

So business as usual under JVS

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40 minutes ago, Kiro Kompiro said:

Not sure what role Cahill actually plays- not good enough as a creative midfielder even for the A-League, not good as a lone striker.  Can see aerial crosses and Bruno being ignored for Cahill's head becoming our "system".

Meh, is my considered and learned opinion on this deal. 

The best aerial threat and best ground threat in the A league......... Can't ask for much more in the box, don't you think?

Edited by playmaker
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Just now, thisphantomfortress said:

I'm with you on this one, we've never really had a proper aerial threat besides big Eric before. Brings a new dimension to our attacking threat 

Mooy said that when Eric was around he'd cross into him (and that got us goals) but when he left he'd just lob it in the box area.

It will be good to have a target man to hit

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47 minutes ago, Kiro Kompiro said:

Not sure what role Cahill actually plays- not good enough as a creative midfielder even for the A-League, not good as a lone striker.  Can see aerial crosses and Bruno being ignored for Cahill's head becoming our "system".

Meh, is my considered and learned opinion on this deal. 

True. Will be interesting to see how we utilize him. In saying that, would rather him with us than against us.

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Just having a think about tactics and Leicester City came to mind.

Our player list is set up for this style of play.

Fast flankers, good central defensive control and dynamic creative finishing options.

Very good player list for a counter attacking flat 442, or 352 with attacking wingbacks with 2 DMs.

A serious 2 prong attacking threat really allows flexibility.

 

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