Cahill, Neill to defy English clubs, play for Socceroos

MELBOURNE—Australia’s two big English Premier League stars Lucas Neill and Tim Cahill say they are prepared to go against the wishes of their clubs and play in the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier in China next month.
Neill, Cahill and other European-based Socceroos said Thursday they would be back again for Australia’s group match against China in Kunming on March 26 despite pressure from their clubs.
The Socceroos, under new Dutch coach Pim Verbeek, spectacularly launched their 2010 World Cup campaign with a 3-0 thumping of Qatar here on Wednesday, despite most of Australia’s overseas stars jetting in just days before the game.
Socceroos skipper Neill said he would continue to make himself available for his country regardless of any pressure his English club West Ham and manager Alan Curbishley may put on him.
“People say ‘why would you want to go and play for Australia in the middle of two English Premier League games?’ (I say) Because I’m playing for Australia and I want to go to the World Cup,” Neill told reporters.
“It’s an honour, it’s a privilege and I’m sure there are millions and millions of others who would want to be doing what we are doing. I’m not taking it for granted.
“If it was him (Curbishley) going to represent England he wouldn’t have an argument and that’s the only case we have to put forward to him.”
Cahill, who once again showed against Qatar that he is the most important player in the Socceroos’ long qualification campaign, said his participation in the Melbourne match was never in doubt.
His Everton club manager David Moyes had hinted at a hamstring injury, and said he didn’t want Cahill to make the long haul. “He (Verbeek) came to Everton to meet my manager, it wasn’t one of the best meetings in the world, but I’ve got to keep them both happy and that’s what I will do,” Cahill said. “I have to play well for Everton and I have to play well for Australia. Fifty thousand people came to see the boys play (Qatar) in the World Cup and they deserve that.
“We can’t emphasise enough that if fit — before I even got here I was reading things that I was injured and that I wasn’t coming and wasn’t going on the plane.
“But I was still going to get on the plane injured or not injured, just to be part of the squad so we are just showing our commitment and what a game, it’s great to get the three points.”
Cahill produced an outstanding 65 minutes including a trademark headed goal before he and his teammates left on Thursday for the return trip to Europe and their weekend club matches.
While the four games in this qualifying stage following the China match will be played in the European off-season, the club versus country issue is set to escalate should the Socceroos advance to the next phase of Asian World Cup qualifying.—Agencies