Our world is well aware of the threat Aussie Tim Cahill poses in the air. He is a powerful, sturdy, physical player who is extremely good in the air for a player of average height, so much so that 55 percent of the goals he had scored in the Premier League tend to be because of headers. But apart from that Cahill’s ability to do the magnificent with a minimal of one leg grounded is astonishing; be it scoring, attempting to assist or just hold the ball.
Below are just a few examples of just that during his entire career:
What is more appealing is that at the age of 35, Tim’s hang time does not seem to reduce as was seen against every opponent in the recent Asian Cup. He is able to do that on both sides. Most players, like myself, choose or are stronger on one side, using our stronger leg to produce the leap towards the ball.I have lost count the number of times he has leapt to do all that he does. The jump. The command. The precision.
His ability to leap off both feet, and even without an extreme knee bend, is praiseworthy. Something which is not easy to achieve but an action that Tim Cahill makes what is extremely difficult look so easy.
Here are a few images from each game all the way to the final, that defines this aspect of his game: