On a team with World Cup winning striker Thierry Henry, it might be difficult for some to realize the importance of other players to the team’s success, but none has been more so than Australia’s Tim Cahill.
After a difficult start to his MLS career, the former Everton-man is finally rounding into form.
Joining the New York Red Bulls in mid-summer last season as a Designated Player, Cahill has been criticised heavily about his lack of scoring.
It took the Australian national team captain 10 games to open his account in 2013, but has since managed four goals and one assist in eight games, helping lift the Red Bulls to contention for top spot in the Eastern Conference.
READ: Match preview - Red Bulls vs Impact (7pm ET, RDS, TSN2)
Cahill is a box-to-box midfielder and has become recognised for his direct and powerful approach and late runs into the box. And although he is not a natural goal scorer, he has managed to find the back of the net 56 times in 226 games played in the English Premier League with Everton.
The 5’10”, 150lb midfielder is also tough as nails. Earlier this year, he shrugged off doctor’s orders to sit out a game with a nagging calf injury to captain his team to a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union on March 31.
He’s not afraid to do the heavy lifting in midfield.
“He leads us in the midfield” said Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke, in a recent interview. “He plays very stingy defense and he’s a workhorse. He’s an example for our young midfielders.”
On Saturday, the Impact visits the workhorse’s stable for a Saturday night tilt. Hopefully, New York’s northern rivals can break-in the wild bronco and come home with all three points.
