The big interview: Tim Cahill – “When I said I was leaving Everton, Phil Jagielka turned around and half-slapped me”

Photography: Will Douglas

FourFourTwo have handed Tim Cahill a pair of boxing gloves – but we’ve unwittingly committed a faux pas.

There was an enquiry, but I was born in Australia. I know the national anthem and I really believe that if you play for a country, then you have to know the national anthem. I was really pleased to be asked, but I’m Australian. I have an English passport, too, but back then I wasn’t good enough – I was learning my trade at Millwall. I didn’t play for Australia until I was 24 because I had played in a competition for Samoa when I was younger and couldn’t get cleared to play. But common sense prevailed and I finally got cleared.

That just happened by chance – it was elation. I ran the length of the pitch like Forrest Gump! It was amazing to score that goal, and it’s a big part of Millwall’s history – Dennis Wise and Ray Wilkins drove us to do something special. We played Manchester United in the final and they were unbelievable – they had Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy in their side. I was so blessed to have that part of my career as a Millwall player, as who knew what was going to be next for me after that?

There was a lot of interest. I remember that when I met David Moyes and Bill Kenwright, they said: “We can’t guarantee you’ll be playing, but we know you can score goals, we know you are dangerous and we know you’ve got an engine.” I said: “Look, all I need you to tell me is that you’re going to give me a chance, and after that, I will prove myself to you.” That was it – simple. I’m thankful to Everton. I still speak to David and Bill often.

Let’s not talk about West Ham... but I always want him to do well. He was a massive influence on my career. He’s like a father figure to me in the football world – someone I always call on for all of the big decisions. He believed in me from day one, and I felt indebted to work for him. What he did for Everton goes beyond being a great coach: they miss his authenticity and how much he really loved the club. I always say that you’ve got to be careful what you wish for when you want money and change, as you lose a little bit of the authenticity. And I love him just as much for the way he took care of his players off the park.

I love them both, but Fergie’s on a different level! You’d want Kevin in your team, but Duncan was a player who I looked at and thought, ‘I will go to war with you any day of the week’. He helped me to get a lot of goals because he took a lot of attention on the pitch. I saw a few headlocks he had with players and I was always there to back him up... but just back him up – he was always front line! Against Liverpool he would try to create havoc. His victim? Probably Sami Hyypia, but who wasn’t his victim? They knew to keep their distance. He never really started anything – he just finished it.

It started with a kung-fu celebration that I helped to choreograph for one of my Australia team-mates, Archie Thompson, because we played those games on the computer. He had his baby boy and scored, I had my baby boy and scored – my celebration was only a bit of fun and it just seemed to grow and grow. Kids love it and it’s stuck, and I’m proud of it. [FFT: In one game against Central Coast Mariners in Australia, a ball boy moved the corner flag so you couldn’t punch it…] It was awesome! The club knew I was going to score, so before the game they told all of their ball boys to move the corner flag away. That’s a huge compliment, and I thank them for preparing for me to bang a goal in against them.

No, no chance at all, but it was great to be an Aussie and nominated. It’s a big honour to be recognised as a footballer with the elite. [FFT: Did you get interest from other clubs around that time?] Oh, every year. If you’re banging in 10 goals a season and doing well in World Cups, there are always clubs interested. But I was always very focused on Everton. Sure, you will always look over your shoulder, but you’ve got to ask yourself what you want from your career. You can sign for bigger clubs, but are you going to play and how is it going to affect your overall career?

No – if anything now it’s up there with the highlights. The important thing for me was reacting in the right manner. Kids are watching – take it on the chin, whether or not you think it’s a red card. I missed the game against Ghana but then came back to score against Serbia. After the Germany game I went over to Schweinsteiger and he shook my hand. I look at that World Cup as: I scored for my country and had a very good time.

Yes and no, because I was 32 at the time and made a big decision to join MLS, play in New York and join a team with some unbelievable players such as Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez. It was the right move because it allowed me to continue playing international football, which was important to me. Regardless of whether Everton wanted to sell me to another Premier League club instead of MLS, as they would’ve got more money, I told them I wasn’t going to another Premier League club – I wanted to play elsewhere. But the gaffer was good about it, Bill Kenwright was a gentleman and the fans were good. A few players were shocked as I hadn’t told anyone – it was done so quickly and quietly, because that’s the way I like to do business.

I remember going into the treatment room and Joleon Lescott, Tony Hibbert and Leon Osman were there. I told them: “I’m off.” They said: “What? Where are you going?” I said: “New York – it’s being announced in an hour.” They were like, “What?!” I think Jags [Phil Jagielka] turned around and half-slapped me. He said: “Nothing ceases to amaze me about decisions with you”, because one week I was playing and the next week I was off to play in MLS. But I wanted to go and experience a new adventure.

There were always things going on. We launched FIFA with Drake on stage and Snoop Dogg – you go through some of the photos and have to pinch yourself. When they throw an event, they go big. That’s why they get all the star players such as Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic; they get the big dogs because they can back it up. You’re willing to go out there and take a pay cut because the lifestyle is so good. I loved my time with them, and New Jersey is still our family base.

Yeah, that one’s up there, for difficulty and also for the way it went in. I’ve always been a strong believer in just taking a chance. I know that I’m either going to hit the back of the net or Row Z, and mentally it doesn’t really bother me if it hits Row Z as I will do it again – I’ll look for another moment to make somebody say, ‘Wow’. I can’t explain how it felt to score that goal – it was like an out-of-body experience. All you can do to understand how much it meant to me is watch it and see me going crazy during the celebrations!

It didn’t matter what they said about me going to China – I was 35, I’d just won the Asian Cup with Australia and I signed for one of the biggest clubs in China. It wasn’t as if I was going there at 30, like some players do. It was the perfect move for me and my family – it was an amazing offer and we had an amazing time. I scored goals and played with some top players: Momo Sissoko, Demba Ba, Gio Moreno, Fredy Guarin, Obafemi Martins and Avraam Papadopoulos. It kept me fit through World Cup qualifying with Australia. It was an incredible experience, living in Shanghai, living in Hangzhou. China is full-on – another level. When I signed, there were a couple of thousand fans at the airport with a lot of security and the army there. They’re so passionate.

Yeah, one hundred per cent. When you choose to play for Australia and in the Premier League, that’s a recipe for disaster. You’ll finish a game on a Saturday, fly Sunday, get there Monday night and train Tuesday, play on Wednesday, then fly back as you’ve got a game on the Sunday. I did that so many times with Everton – that’s why you have to make better decisions later in your career so you can keep playing. It’s a big reason why I left Everton.

It was a massive decision to come back, because of the expectation that I was coming back just for the sake of coming back. When I had discussions with the gaffer [Neil Harris], it was about making an impact on and off the park. It’s been one of the best decisions I made. I haven’t played much football but I’m driving the boys on, and we went on a long unbeaten run that was just ridiculous. I couldn’t be prouder. Millwall helped make me who I am today. Millwall and Everton are two clubs who’ll always be a part my life. [Shows FFT the tattoos on his arm] You can see there: ‘MFC’ and ‘EFC’.

For me, you can only be judged on what you’ve done for your country. I’ve always put my country first, even over my club. [FFT: You broke the scoring record in a friendly at The Den…] That was meant to be, wasn’t it? If I get the appearance record, awesome. But if I don’t, it’s not a big deal. To me, the big deal was reaching 50 goals. I’ve played in three World Cups and also scored five World Cup goals, so I’m proud to have had those moments for my country.

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Chris joined FourFourTwo in 2015 and has reported from 20 countries, in places as varied as Jerusalem and the Arctic Circle. He's interviewed Pele, Zlatan and Santa Claus (it's a long story), as well as covering Euro 2020 and the Clasico. He previously spent 10 years as a newspaper journalist, and completed the 92 in 2017.

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