Searching The Globe

Tiny Tim is flying the globe to find the 'ultimate procedure' to cure his problematic foot. After stints in England and Holland, Tiny is now heading back Down Under to see Australia's top foot Doc, to see if he can't sort the problem out. Tiny is staying with his family while the doc is tracked down as he was last seen at Billabong Creek wrestling a gator, shit that wasn't it !!

Tiny though is hopeful that come the first game of next season he will be back in the Blues line up.

Basil says: "We think that we need to go to the highest possible level and do the ‘ultimate procedure’ to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We’ve taken advice from the leading foot specialist in Britain, the leading Uefa specialist based in Amsterdam and now he is on his way to see Australia’s leading foot specialist in Sydney. It’s just a matter of trying to decide the best way to go about the surgical procedure to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

Tiny says: "I hope to be back for preseason, ready for the first game of Everton's next season. I'm just going to work hard ... and nothing's going to stop me coming back. This is one of the best places (Australia) in the world for foot specialists. I get to see my family and basically see one of the best football specialists in the world." (23/04/08)

Out For Season

Everton have confirmed what everyone has been fearing that Tim is out for the season with a broken foot.

Moyesy says: "Tim Cahill has a broken foot. I think it's obvious that he will be out for the rest of the season. It is disappointing but it happens" (28/03/08)

Foot Injury

Tim is a big doubt for next week's derby after coming off with a foot injury against West Ham. He has been troubled with this for a while. He has missed games against both Fiorentina and Fulham and will now more than likely miss the Australia game this week against China.

Moyesy says: "He had a foot injury before the game and I think that is the problem again but we will know more later." (23/03/08)

Its Up To Tim How He Celebrates

The Blues have defended Tim Cahill's goal celebration after the Everton's midfielders very personal goal celebration to his brother Sean who was recently sentenced to six years imprisonment. Tiny crossed his hands to symbolise handcuffs, and he shrugged off the controversy deciding instead to talk about the Blues fantastic three points.

Everton PR Guru Ian Ross says: "Goal celebrations are a personal matter and up to the player to decide. No-one dictates what the player can do as long as he stays within the laws of the game and as long as it doesn't result in a caution.

He is a very articulate young man and will have weighed up the pros and cons and decided to do it because it was a personal and emotional matter. I am sure Tim was fully aware that some people would not be in favour of what he did before he did it."

Tiny says: "It was a great team performance. Portsmouth are a very good side and we had to work hard. We scored an early goal, conceded a bad one but it all turned out in the end. It was about time I scored." (03/03/08)

Best So Far

Tim believes the performance from the lads last night was the best in a long time and you can't disagree with him. Well you can if you want but why should you?

Tim says: “We were under a lot of pressure beforehand, and a couple of the lads were ill. But we got on with it and played. The back four were absolutely tremendous. We were under the cosh for the first 15 minutes but we had done our homework and we knew how to exploit them.

“We aren’t thinking about what anyone else is doing. Liverpool had a great result, Aston Villa had a great result but we have had one ourselves now and we are absolutely desperate to get that fourth place. It’s always a hard place to come and we were under a lot of pressure to win the game. But the biggest thing that has been at this football club since I have been here is that the gaffer can rely on every single player.

“As a team, this is what we are all about and we have got to keep it this way. We had Mikel out, who is a massive player, but we just seemed to shine through in every department. We ran until we were dead. We play for each other and that is always the case when we put that Blue shirt on. We’ll play anywhere and do anything for this club. We had a few boys doing different jobs at different times but we got on with it. Everyone is fighting for the cause.” (26/02/08)

Champions League On The Agenda

Tiny is adamant that Everton's place in the Champions League proper is not far away, and without doubt the Blues now have the calibre of player to do themselves justice in the Competition. With the Blues holding the prized fourth spot, and also flying high in this season's UEFA Cup, Tiny is adamant Everton is a club going in the right direction.

Tiny says: "Over the last four years the club has done something special and the club isn’t going backward or sideways, it’s really going forward. We have a lot of footballers at this club that could play in the Champions League so I think that we have to keep adding and keep on playing for each other. We’re really respectful of where we are and where we can be if everything goes well this season. Every club wants to play in the Champions every year and every club wants to spend £100 million every year - but I think you just have to be realistic where you are and build. If a team has to spend £250 million, then that’s a lot, but Everton is a football club that strives for the fans and has a lot of pride in it and I suppose we are just hoping we’ll be there soon." (21/02/08)

Praise For Moyes

Tim reckons Moyesy is building a great team now he has most of the current squad on long contracts.

Tim says: "Managers' jobs are hard to keep these days but he is building something special. I think it would be a hell of a waste if he walked away. I think he is here for the long haul. He's a great manager and done very well. He has got so much to achieve with us. He can see a goal and we can see a goal. He has made us all part of it." (23/01/07)

Best Goalscoring Midfielder

With 6 goals in 9 games, since he returned from injury, Tiny has helped Everton to a 9 game unbeaten run. Everton goalie, Tim Howard has given him a glowing report.

Tim Howard says: "He has done great in the past few weeks. He has come back on fire and long may it last. Tim is in really good form and that is the special thing about him - he just knows where to be. He pops up right when you need him. He’ll stick his head in or his feet in if he thinks he can get a goal. He’s worth his weight in gold and he makes his own luck. Apart from being able to score, he also has a terrific engine. It’s almost as if we could become too dependant on him. When we aren’t playing well, he just seems to come in and nick one. It’s so nice to have him. He’s very like Scholesy in that he has a knack of being able to score. Scholesy is a bit crafty, whereas Tim likes to mix it up a bit more. He gets up in the air, while Scholesy has so many tricks. But those guys just have a knack for it. They sense where they need to be if they want to score. Six yards, 18 yards, it just doesn’t matter.” (06/12/07)

Catalyst

It has been no fluke that Everton's good run has come the same time as Tim's return to the team. He's our catalyst, he makes things happen. He has scored five in his last six games.

Moyesy says : "Tim underlines what he can give you. We didn't have him for the first couple of months of the season and we missed his goals at crucial moments. He got a crucial second goal against Sunderland that put it beyond doubt at that period." (26/11/07)

My Best Ever

Tiny rates his last minute equaliser at Chelski as his best goal ever. Tiny spectacular overhead kick with a a minute left on the clock earned the Blues a point, but Tiny all the plaudits. Well played Tiny, the best thing out of Australia, since Rolf, Neighbours, Kylie and Jason, Shane Warne and of course Skippy, tttt, ttttt, tttt.

Tiny says: "I am really happy to be playing and to get the goal was a bonus. It was probably up there with my best. It is one of those things; when you come to a place like Chelsea you know you are going to be under the cosh but the gaffer asked me to push up in the last five minutes and then try and get on the end of something. I'll probably get the headlines but the whole team deserves it. The back four were exceptional and Tim Howard is in a class of his own at the moment and he's playing at top form." (12/11/07)

Savior

Tim done it again last night scoring his 2nd in 3 games to put us into the last 8 in the Carling Cup. How much have we missed him?

Alan Ivine says:“Tim has a fantastic knack of being in the right place at the right time.Once the ball is there, he’s very composed in terms of his finishing.He’s not fully match fit yet. That’s why we have been careful with him. We think it will be a few weeks before he is fully fit.”

Tim says: “I was just happy to get some more minutes on the pitch.It was always going to be a test against Luton but we did really well, we worked so hard and I thought it was a great team performance. It’s not about individuals. When I walked out before the game, the stadium brought back a few memories from my days with Millwall and I would have preferred to start but I’m just delighted in the end that I was able to make a difference and get a goal.

“I just made the run to the back post and made sure I hit the target. When you do that, you have always got half a chance. But it wasn’t about me. It was a great team performance and people like Ossie and Cars were absolutely sensational. They worked so hard for us.

“This is where we want to be now. We want to be competing in these tournaments and we have got to make sure we are ready because we have got some important games coming up, including a quarter-final now.(01/11/07)

For Life

Tim would be a happy bunny if he was here for the rest of his footballing days. That's good stuff

Tim says: "There's a great camaraderie and ability here and if I go on to play the rest of my career at Goodison I'll be the happiest player ever. There was a lot of talk in the summer about me moving on but I signed a new deal because this club is getting bigger and bigger.

"We have a state of the art training ground, there's a new stadium on the way and we have a manager who wants success, that's what made me stay. The fans like me, I like them. There's mutual respect. We should be looking at top six in the Premier League every season and hopefully some cup runs along the way. We're in mid-table now but hopefully not for long." (27/10/07)

He's Back

Tim marked his return with a typical goal. He played tribute to to the backroom staff for their help. Welcome back Tim we've missed you

Tim says: "The team performance against Larissa was great and I was made up to get a goal," said Cahill. Overall, I'm just happy to get the minutes on the pitch.

"It's been very difficult but when you work with good staff it makes it easier and I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.It was a bit of a shock that I started the game but I'm just happy to be a part of us doing well in Europe. I've done all I can to get myself fully fit and now it's about playing games of football now."(26/10/07)

Derby Return?

Tiny may be in for a return to the Blues first eleven starting against the shite this weekend. Tiny Tim who has been going through his rehabilitation on the quiet, has started full training again, and like us all Moyesy has certainly missed him.

Moyesy says: "Tim started training on Monday and we are pleased to have him back. There is no doubt we have missed him since he’s been out. He is a goalscoring central midfielder with drive and when you look at the goals he has scored for Everton in the past three years, he has been a big part of our success. This a big period for us. We gave the players a few days off last week after a difficult period and gave them a chance to relax. From Saturday, we have a lot of big games and need them fresh." (18/10/07)

New Boots For Tiny Tim

Tiny Tim is doing everything in his capability to make sure his meta thingy problem does not reoccur. The Everton midfielder who broke his foot back in March, re injured himself in his return to action in pre season. Tiny is now getting new boots made that will protect his feet better than before.

Tiny says: "I have met with the physios and they are talking about the asset I can be to the club in the years to come, not just the next five minutes. I don't want to put my body at risk when it is such an innocuous thing that happened - to jump and land. But I really need to think about this. People think 'what has he done to try and correct things?'

Well I have had new boots made, I have tried different orthotics (foot supports). I have kept my weight down and tried to build more muscle and I have been doing different things with the physios and nutritionists as well to make myself stronger for when I get back." (14/09/07)

X Rays Today

The Everton Medical Team are awaiting Tiny's latest X rays to see if our Aussie talisman is on target for a return in the next few weeks to competitive action. Tiny broke his meta, metars, maters, metra, you know that little annoying bone in his foot in a pre season friendly against Werder Bremen in July.

Basil says: "Tim Cahill is six weeks since he re-injured his foot. He has another x-ray on Tuesday. The bone will heal at its own rate so we will have to wait and see what the x-ray shows." (11/09/07)

September at The Earliest

Roll on the end of September when Everton will be able to utilise what will feel like a new signing, as Tiny will be fit for action again. The unfortunate midfielder re-injured his foot again in the pre season friendly against Werder Bremen. Physio Basil Rathbone is keeping a close eye on the Australian and is targeting the end of September for his return.

Basil says: "Tim unfortunately sustained a disturbance of his fracture site, when he landed awkwardly against Werder Bremen. It’s not so bad, he’s walking round with no symptoms at all now. It’s so frustrating. We’re looking for 6-12 weeks on that. I know tim will be banging the door down to start running on it soon.

Getting him back into training isn’t so bad, getting him back running round isn’t a problem, but getting him jumping like he does, and landing full force on the outside of his left foot like he did the other day, it’s going to be a while before its going to be strong enough to be able to do that, but again the time goes by, he gets stronger everyday. Tim jumps very very high and unfortunately has a habit of landing on his left foot. So like at Sheff United when he landed and overbalanced he cracked it. It was similar against Werder Bremen, albeit five months after and he trained every day for a month and played three games for OZ - everything was fine.

But unfortunately with that kind of force going through it, it just caused a little injury to the site again. So while we’re happy he’ll soon be back training there is in our minds that he has to jump and land on that." (19/08/07)

Bright Future

Even though Tim is not happy about the injury he is determined to look to the future. Which bytheway is bright.

Tim says: "It is definitely not as serious as before. I was trying to tell myself nothing was wrong with me after the game but the next morning I felt it.It is another freak injury. I have seen the surgeons and had scans and I am waiting for some more reports back. I am just devastated because I have not been injured this much in my life."

"I have just got to look forward and there are definitely reasons to be positive for the new season.

"Everybody is talking about the new signings but to get Mikel Arteta to sign a new fiveyear deal is like a new signing in itself. We have got some big games coming up and the UEFA Cup. There is a bright future for Everton."(10/08/07)

Weeks Not Months

Everton physio Basil Rathbone is happy that Tiny's foot injury is not as bad as is being reported in some circles today. Admittedly the midfielder may miss the season's opener against Wigan, but his absence will be of weeks and not months in duration, after he suffered the injury in the friendly against Werder Bremen on Tuesday evening.

Basil says: "That is premature and wide of the mark. He has suffered damage to the same area of the foot but it is miniscule in comparison to the previous injury." (02/08/07)

Tim Back For Bremen Game

Tim Cahill has been back at Bellefield training with the rezzies and will be ready to be involved for the Werder Bremen game on Tuesday.

Moyesy says: "Tim started the season very well last year and got some goals so I’m hoping he will come back the same. We’re looking forward to having him back. We’ve not had him in the squad since the Sheffield United game when he broke his foot. He started back at Bellefield on Tuesday so we’re looking forward to getting him to join the squad on Monday and no doubt he’ll play a part in the game against Werder Bremen. He got through the Asia Cup okay and he didn’t start any of the games, so maybe he has had a bit of a rest and not done too much. But Tim is fit enough now to come back in and I’m hoping that he won’t need to spend too much time on early pre-season fitness work." (28/07/07)

Back To Bellefield

Tiny Tim will be back at Bellefield this week as Moyesy and Alan Irvine thought it best that the Australian midfielder did not make the trip Stateside after his Asian Cup exertions. The management however are delighted that Tim has had a Summer Tournament to play in, as it will help his fitness after his comeback from his injury sustained in March at Sheffield United.

Alan Irvine says: "Tim will be back at Bellefield this week and he is making his way back there now. There wasn't enough time to get him here but he will be training with Andy Holden and the younger lads. He should be in really good condition. Normally we are not too happy about players going away and playing in these type of competitions but I am sure this will have helped Tim get back into shape and he will be eager to get going with us again." (23/07/07)

Supa Sub

Everton and Australia had agreed that Tim should just play 20 minutes if at all, but he came on with 27 minutes to go and scored the vital equaliser against Oman.

Tim says: "The agreement was that I play maybe 20 minutes, maybe not even come on at all. It's still hard sitting on the sidelines and watching because I'm so eager and Arnie's done well in bringing me in. This is what I built up for, this is where I wanted to be. I said when I got injured against Sheffield United that I would be back for the Asian Cup and I promised big things. So it's good to be back and in decent form, but most of all it's just good to be fit.

What happened tonight was priceless, you can't take that away from me or my family. I've got a lot of respect for that goal because Asia is massive, there's billions of people here and it's a massively watched tournament and it's another big moment in my career. It's great to be back fit after four months out and not playing football and I'm just really happy. It's great to be our first Asian Cup goalscorer but that's what I'm there to do, I'm supposed to score goals and make goals. But it's a special moment for myself, my teammates and my family and I'm very pleased." (08/07/07)

Gagging For It

While the first team squad are freezing their socks off in the North Sea, Tim is sunning himself in Singapore with the Australian team. He has just played his first 45 minutes since breaking his foot in March. He hopes to play some part of the game against Oman in the Asian Cup on Sunday.

Tim says: “I've played a game, I'm happy, I feel strong in training, I haven't felt out of my depth, so I'm ready when they are. There's an agreement with Everton to stand by each other, and do the right thing. I played 45 minutes. I did the running after, so I'm pretty much back now. It's just about getting into the team. I'd love to play a part on the weekend. It would be great to be involved in the first game of the Asian Cup, and try and make a mark like I did at the World Cup. I'm gagging to play.” (06/07/07)

Let's Work Together

With his contract until 2012 safely in his arse pocket, Tim is now hoping to be fit for the start of the season. Everton's top physio Mick Rathbone has been over to see Tim to make sure all is fine and dandy.

Basil says: "He is in very good condition. I went across at the end of May and did two running days with him, he also had the latest x-ray and there were no symptoms there. We left him with a light programme to do then I met him last week in Singapore and we pushed on to the next level which was twisting and turning. He was training at 80 percent and had no symptoms. The x-rays looked fantastic and he was fine. We have to have a good relationship with all the national teams. The nature of football is that players play for their clubs, and in the summer they play for their countries. We are all working for the good of the player, so we have to work well together." (29/06/07)

Flying Doctor

Everton are sending Baz Rathbone over to Australia to make sure Tim is not risking himself too soon and then not be right for the start of the season.

Tim says: "Mick Rathbone, the head physio and a second member of the medical staff are flying across to watch me and advise the Australian team management of my fitness. I'm feeling fine and finally I'm getting the chance to do the business. My fitness is fine. I've been doing a lot of running and I've trimmed right down. I think the biggest challenge I'll face when I get over there and the tournament proper is acclimatising to the weather." (22/06/07)

Easy Does It

Tim has got to make sure the bone in his foot is completely healed before he steps up his training to be fit for the Asian Cup and then be ready for the start of the season with Everton.

Tim says: “The bone looks like it’s healed brilliantly after seeing the X-rays and because it was such a serious metatarsal break, there’s probably 10 percent to go. In two weeks time I’ll be right to twist and turn, but I’ll be joining up with the boys in camp this week and running around the pitch. It will just be a good vibe and being around and supporting the lads while I’m getting treatment. I’m looking forward to it, it’s always good to go into camp and show your face and be part of the group.

I don’t want to be setting definitive dates but I want to be fit for the Asian Cup and that’s what I’m aiming for. I’ve been out for 10 weeks and because it was serious, it’s probably a 14-week injury. We’ve taken extra precaution and I need to make sure I stay right because I’ve got to go into the Premier League season straight after.

I want to be ready to go to Singapore on June 20 for the camp, to acclimatise. I think it's important I'm there from the start and show the same commitment as all the other lads, because it sets an example for the younger players. I had a meeting with David Moyes and they had a long talk about me and using common sense in when to play me and not rushing me back. The gaffer told me it went really well. To have a relationship between Everton and Australia makes it easier for myself." (28/05/07)

On Course

Tim is on course to be fit to play in the Asia Cup in July, but must first have an x-ray in June and his injured foot be 100% before he can play.

Basil Rathbone says: "Tim has been out in Australia for the last three or four weeks. It was an ideal opportunity for him to get home and spend some time with his family because he has not been able to do that for the last three or four summers.

He has been working with the physio's from the Australian national team and they have been doing an excellent job. He had his 10 week post injury x-ray last week and it was very encouraging so we felt it was important I went out there to be with Tim when he started jogging again.

It also enabled me to liaise with the medical staff from Australia and professionally the trip went very well. We have remained in close contact with Tim whilst he has been back in Australia but this was a good time to go out there and see how he is getting on now he can jog again. He is our player and if the foot is not right he can't play so it was an important trip. We left him with a light programme to work on with the Australian medical people and he will have a further x-ray on June 11." (25/05/07)

Tim Last Season             Full Squad 2007/2008