Tim Is Tops Down Under
Everton midfielder Tim Cahill has been named the Oceania Football Confederation Player of the Year for 2004.Everton midfielder Tim Cahill has been named the Oceania Football Confederation Player of the Year for 2004.
The Australia international has enjoyed a wonderful year including a FA Cup Final appearance for Millwall then becoming a key player in Everton’s unexpected Champions League challenge.
Having been selected for Samoa at youth level, he made his full international debut for Australia against South Africa and then had the honour of representing his country at the Athens Olympic Games.
Oceania Football Confederation General Secretary Tai Nicholas commented: “Tim has had a wonderful season and is a deserved winner of the OFC player of the year award.
“He is unique in that he has played for two Oceania nations, Western Samoa and Australia at various levels.
“It was a fabulous year for Tim scoring the winner in an FA Cup semi final which has catapulted his career to the next level. He has certainly served as a fantastic role model not just for youngsters in Australia but also in Samoa.
“Tim follows in the footsteps of some greats like Wynton Rufer and Frank Farina in receiving this award.”
Fellow Australians Mark Schwarzer and Marco Bresciano finished second and third respectively while the Solomon Islands’ Commins Menapi was voted into fourth place.
Previous OFC Player of the Year winners are:
1988 - Frank Farina (Australia)
1989 - Wynton Rufer (New Zealand)
1990 - Wynton Rufer (New Zealand)
1991 - Robbie Slater (Australia)
1992 - Wynton Rufer (New Zealand)
1993 - Robbie Slater (Australia)
1994 - Aurelio Vidmar (Australia)
1995 - Christian Karembeu (New Caledonia)
1996 - Paul Okon (Australia)
1997 - Mark Bosnich (Australia)
1998 - Christian Karembeu (New Caledonia)
1999 - Harry Kewell (Australia)
2000 - Mark Viduka (Australia)
2001 - Harry Kewell (Australia)
2002 - Brett Emerton (Australia)
2003 - Harry Kewell (Australia)
After a magnificent year, Tim is now preparing for a terrific week. Everton take on Merseyside rivals Liverpool this Sunday and a win for the Toffees would almost certainly secure a place in the Champions League next season.
The 25 year-old will then head home to take his place in the Australian squad to take on Iraq at Telstra Stadium in Sydney on Saturday 26 March and Indonesia at Subiaco Oval in Perth on Tuesday 29 March.