He might be long retired but Tim Cahill is still having a major impact for the Socceroos – not only by helping them secure their salubrious training digs in Qatar, but by passing on some one-on-one advice on what it takes to be an effective World Cup striker to the man who will likely spearhead Australia’s attack against France.
Doha-based Cahill is the chief sports officer at the Aspire Academy, the $1.3 billion all-inclusive facility where the Socceroos will be sleeping, eating, training and relaxing for the next three weeks – thanks largely to his local connections.
Mitchell Duke (second from right) celebrates after scoring a goal during an international friendly match against New Zealand in September.Credit:Getty
There can be no greater endorsement of the spot they’ve chosen to call home for their time in Qatar than the fact that they’ll be sharing it with the host nation – although Australia’s private sections and accommodation areas have been decked out in green and gold, and plastered with inspirational messages and photos of past successes by the team and the 26 players in Graham Arnold’s squad.
Most of them were on deck in Qatar by the time Mitchell Duke, the 31-year-old striker who plays for Fagiano Okayama in Japan’s second division, spoke at a press conference on Monday afternoon (Qatar time).
Duke was one of the earliest arrivals in camp, and numbers were so short at the team’s first training session that Cahill, now 42 and still fit as a fiddle, pulled on the boots to help out.
The proximity to him has been pure gold for Duke, the all-action target man who is heavily favoured to start up front against France in Australia’s daunting first-up Group D match next Wednesday at 6am (AEDT). He’s not quite a player of Cahill’s calibre, but he does share similar traits, and with his aerial prowess and ferocious pressing, he embodies the “boxing kangaroo” approach Arnold has spoken so much about.
“He’s awesome to be able to actually work with – the greatest goalscorer for the Australia national team,” Duke said of Cahill.
“For me, being a striker myself, he’s given me some great pointers and helping me prepare. To get that kind of one-on-one time with such a legend is priceless, and I’m definitely soaking it all in and trying to learn as much as I can in a short period of time, because if it benefits me, it benefits the national team.
“He’s very much a natural leader. He gives advice – it just spills out of his mouth, I don’t think he can help it. He just loves it. He loves the game. He’s obviously a very proud Aussie himself, and he’s still fit enough to kick about as well which is awesome.”
Cahill, who has an official role with the Socceroos at the World Cup that will be confirmed in the coming days, couldn’t help himself again on Monday, jumping on the pitch again as the majority of the Socceroos squad were put through their paces – except for Martin Boyle, who was still in the Aspire rehab centre working on his knee injury.
Tim Cahill will support the Socceroos in Qatar.
Skipper Maty Ryan, back-up defender Joel King, winger Awer Mabil and attacking midfielder Ajdin Hrustic were due to land later that night following their club duties over the weekend, rounding out the full contingent.
They won’t be alone in the arrivals hall at the Hamad International Airport – over 1 million visitors are expected to descend on the tiny gas-rich Middle Eastern state in the coming days as the tournament, controversially awarded to Qatar 12 years ago, draws ever nearer.
This is Duke’s first World Cup and, he admits, probably the only opportunity he’ll get to represent the Socceroos on football’s biggest stage. He was at the Central Coast Mariners in 2014 but was cut from then-coach Ange Postecoglou’s extended squad for the World Cup in Brazil that year, and was again overlooked four years ago by Bert van Marwijk for Russia 2018.
“Obviously, it gave me aspirations to really give my all – after especially the 2018 one, I was like, ‘I’ve got one more chance’. That was my motivation afterwards,” he said.
“Speaking to some of the boys that have been to one or two before me, they said there’s no experience like it, and I’m definitely very happy and privileged that I get my chance now … it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Everyone wants to put their hand up to play in that starting 11. I think I’ve got a good enough chance as anyone. I’ll just keep trying to prove myself in training every day to try and get that spot against France.”
