Cahill plays down injury ahead of Greece games

Caltex Socceroos star Tim Cahill is carrying an injury but is confident he’ll be right to face Greece in the two-game Dodoni Series which starts in Sydney this Saturday night.

“I’ve got a slight hamstring but for me I will never miss a camp,” Cahill told reporters on Tuesday.

“We’ve got some of the best staff when it comes to physios and they really look after you.

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“I always come in ready to play and I’m someone that doesn’t like to miss games.

“I got through the last game 90 minutes and the game before that. It’s all about catching yourself up and hopefully I’ll be available for selection for the next game.”

Cahill has battled the injury for the last few weeks but has managed to get through both games in the Chinese Super League.

He was on the scoresheet last weekend in Hangzhou Greentown’s draw with Trent Sainsbury’s Jiangsu Suning, in what was a huge result for the club.

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Now in camp with the Socceroos after missing the clash with England, the ex-Everton star is desperate to play to help the side build on that performance.

‘The squad is so good and there’s so much depth, there has to be consistency,” Cahill said.

“I know we’re playing Greece in these two friendlies but the only way you can keep consistency is by playing well and players really pushing themselves every camp.

“There will be no level of complacency because we always know there will be competition for places. There’s a lot of young hunger in the team that keeps everyone on their toes.”

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It’s a hunger that’s still in Cahill even at the ripe old age of 36.

He’s still eager to score goals wherever he plays and has three for Hangzhou from his first 11 appearances for the club.

With Cahill’s deal at China ending in July, there has again been speculation about his future and whether he could possible turn out in the Hyundai A-League.

“I’ve never closed the door on the A-League. The good thing is I knew I was going to be a free going into the window in July,” he said.

“I’m very close with the A-League chairmen, I’m very close with a lot of people in the league…but I can’t press the button on anything.

“A lot of things are up in the air here but I’ve just got to keep playing. That’s the main thing for me. Whether I stay in China or go somewhere else in the world…we’ll just have to wait and see.”

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