Cahill not focused on club future as Socceroos prepare for '11 Ferraris'

Australia great Tim Cahill has side-stepped talk over his club future to focus solely on the Socceroos who will face “11 Ferraris" in Friday morning’s (AEDT) FIFA World Cup qualifier against Jordan in Amman.

Tim Cahill training Jordan

Tim Cahill and Tarek Elrich during training ahead of Australia's clash with Jordan. Source: FFA


While 35 year-old Cahill was coy over his next club move as he nears the end of his one-year deal with Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua, Jordan’s ruddy-faced Belgian coach Paul Put was tuning up the engines of a team he believes can out-motor the Socceroos at the Amman International Stadium.

"I think for me personally when I’m in camp it’s all about the Socceroos,” said Cahill, who has been linked with a mega-money move to the Gulf but might also accept a second year in China.

“My future will be sorted out later on, which is exciting for myself. But the main focus is doing well here.

“If you do well for your country and your club then you get the rewards, whether it be in China or anywhere else like that.”

Put, who was appointed in June, admits his team will need to be super-charged to instigate a repeat of the scoreline between the side’s in Amman three years ago when Jordan upset Australia 2-1.



“We all know if you play Australia it’s a tough game, it’s a big game, because they’ve been proving a lot in the past, and they’re still proving that they are a good team,” the former Burkina Faso and Gambia mentor said.

“They have experienced players who play abroad so we know it will be a hard game but we have been preparing our game as well also because we want to participate in the World Cup. I think every team has that ambition.

“It’s now the time to show yourself. I hope tomorrow we can give the best of ourselves against Australia. Tomorrow I want to see 11 Ferraris on the pitch for Jordan.

“Tomorrow our concentration has to be not 100 per cent, but 500 per cent. Also the motivation, the mentality - I tell you if you have to play against Australia I don’t have to motivate my players.”

Australia's all-time leading scorer Cahill, who turns 36 in December, has no time-line on when he will call it quits – and little wonder considering the form he is in for both club and country, with eight goals for Shanghai Shenhua in his past 12 games and a brace for Australia in its 3-0 win over Tajikistan last month.

“It’s taking it a game at a time,” he said. “It’s really important being a professional that you play well for your club, then you get selected for your country.

“I’m passionate about continuing and we’ll see how each game goes. We’ll see how long I last.”

Put is exhorting Jordanians to flock behind the national team and create an intimidating atmosphere as the Al-Nashama, who lie two points adrift of the group leading Socceroos, bid to leapfrog them and go top.

“I hope the stadium will be full tomorrow and that the crowd is behind these players.

“There is a great team spirit in our side. I hope all the Jordan people come out and support the boys because we need also this support because we also want to play 12 against 11 tomorrow.

"Australia are very technical. It will be important not to give them the confidence to come into the game. 

"We have to try and make it a close game and we will see how we can do it. It will be tough but in football anything is possible.

"If you are afraid it’s better you stay home,” he said.

“We have to challenge Australia and we go for the good result. The best way in football is to attack and win the game. If you rely only on the defence only, it will be tough.

Cahill sees it as a danger match for Ange Postecoglou's men, adding: 

“We’ve been to Jordan before and we know it’s going to be difficult.  Whether it will be hot or whether it will be cold, we’ll show up and give the right performance.” 


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4 min read
Published 8 October 2015 10:14am
Updated 8 October 2015 1:09pm
By Dave Lewis


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