The Everton cult heroes departure leaves a gap in the midfield. Can Jack Rodwell or Ross Barkley fill it?
For a generation of Everton fans Tim Cahill will go down as a club legend. Epitomising all that is good about the David Moyes era at Goodison Park with his consistent performances in the Everton midfield and flawless transitions to auxiliary striker.
The arrival of Steven Naismith and the exceptional early Everton career of another former Glasgow Ranger; Nikica Jelavic; means Cahill finds his secondary role as emergency striker redundant.
His midfield form has dipped in the last 18 months caused mainly by an unfortunate struggle with fitness and injury. Now it seems the ex-Millwall man; famous for his uncanny ability at scoring headed goals; will be embarking on a new adventure with the New York Red Bulls in the MLS.
Everton FC are famously strapped for spare cash, and with only a £1million pound investment being made in the Australian, it gives a chance for Everton to flex some youth team muscles. Over the years the Everton academy has produced some very good players; the under-rated Tony Hibbert and Leon Osman, forward Victor Anichebe and superstar Wayne Rooney.
Two players who have been tipped by ex-Everton midfield dynamo Peter Reid to blossom this season are Jack Rodwell and Ross Barkley.
We all know about the inherent ability Jack Rodwell carries and, with a summer off from tournament football to rest his fragile limbs; the big midfield player will be hoping to make a more distinct impact this season.
However the player to really look out for is 18 year old Ross Barkley.
Ross made a handful of appearances at the start of last season but as Everton dipped in form Moyes reluctantly looked to more experienced heads to steer his first team.
However he has been in impressive pre-season form bagging a goal against Dundee United and impressing for England at the European Under-19 Championships. He is a resilient soul; recovering from a quite horrific leg break early in his career to emerge as one of the biggest prospects in English football. A delightful passer of the ball but also a ‘Frank Lampard-esque’ goal threat Barkley has a great future ahead of him at Goodison Park.
Perhaps this was the feeling behind Tim Cahill’s departure; not to mention that clearing his wages off the monthly the bill should secure the protracted transfer of Steven Pienaar from Tottenham back to the blue side of Merseyside.
Nonetheless the departure of Cahill from the Premier League is a sad one as he has established himself as a real fan favourite over the last 8 years but with the emergence of Rodwell and Barkley those two really deserve a shot at the first team and Cahill deserves a new challenge.
If there’s one thing you can assess about his character it’s that Tim wouldn’t be leaving a club he loves if he personally didn’t think the time was right.
Will Barkley and Rodwell shine this season? Or should Everton of kept hold of an elder statesman for them to learn from?
images: © Ben Sutherland, © Nick Sarebi
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