Tim Cahill's "Drunken" Dramas

Wednesday May 9, 2007 04:08 PM

Matthew Hall

And on the seventh day, we finally got some truth.

A full week after Tim Cahill had a few drinks (this much is not in dispute) and was thrown out of/walked out of a Kings Cross bar, we hear someone of reasonable authority speak on the record about the incident.

With all the power and connections the broad Sydney media has, it took FourFourTwo, a football-dedicated magazine with limited resources, to scoop News Limited, Fairfax Media, Fox Sports, SBS, Channel Seven, the online bloggerati, Football Federation Australia, and the Internet gossipers to unearth what seems to be a reliable source to speak about what went down during Timmygate.

In brief: "Tim's welcome anytime," claimed a guy called Mim Salvato, the owner of the bar where Cahill's shenanigans took place (or not).

"They've blown it out of all proportion," Salvato said in an interview published on FourFourTwo's website. "I don't know what they are going on about. I don't want Tim to look like a bad guy. It was just a simple misunderstanding."

[Full disclosure - I have written for the British edition of the magazine but rarely for the Australian - the last time may have been in 2006.]

Salvato said Cahill had also been at the bar on the night before the alleged incident - after Australia had qualified - without any problems.

"If you look even slightly intoxicated, we are not allowed to serve you," explained Salvato. "Tim didn't understand this because he lives in England where you can drink as much as you like.

"The doorman got his knickers in a knot. We don't employ the doormen directly. We use a security company and no-one knew who he was.

"It was a nothing incident that should never have happened. Tim was just partying and then left. No punches were thrown and nothing else happened. There was no 'disgrace' or 'shame'."

"Police only became involved after the media phoned them. They came down, looked at the CCTV video, saw there was nothing to investigate and that was it.

"The Telegraph got it way out of line and I don't understand why they have been doing this."

In a week that should have been about Australia's bid for the 2018/2022 World Cup and qualification for next year's tournament in South Africa, The Daily Telegraph (and Sunday) certainly succeeded in diverting attention to its beat up.

The issue gained traction with Cahill's embarrassing interview after scoring two goals against Japan with host broadcaster Fox Sports after the final whistle.

The Everton midfielder's knowledge of cross-media ownership (News Ltd owns a share of Fox Sports through the Premier Sports Group that owns the broadcaster) meaning Cahill now appears disinterested in talking with the FFA broadcast "partner".

It's a jungle out there - as Cahill has discovered over the past few days.

The saga is further complicated by News Ltd's financial interest in rugby league, a sport riddled at the professional level with so much controversy it should hold its own World Cup just for poor behaviour.

Australia would be clear favourites but, on his worst night out, Cahill would struggle to qualify for that tournament.

Thankfully, Pim Verbeek came to the rescue. Here he is singing Advance Australia Fair, keeping his promise to do so if the Socceroos qualified for South Africa.

As Pim suggests, Australians, all let us re-juice.

UPDATE: David Sygall at The Sun-Herald has spoken with Salvato, telling a slightly different version of the story. Salvato, it has been suggested to me, has an interest in staying onside with Cahill rather than a doorman, who is now being discredited. Sigh.

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COMMENTS

It's clear the anti-soccer knives are still sharpened, even after all these years, ready to slash at any opportunity and despite the claims of 'support' of the FFA World Cup bid by rival codes. Australia faces a tough road to securing the hosting rights in either 2018 or 2022. Unfortunately, some of it's biggest battles will be within it's own borders, where our bid will be subject to deliberate thwarting through the jealousy, envy and fear of rival codes.

by zeroagainst on June 20, 2009 at 01:43 PM

Geez, all it took was for an investigative journalist or reporter to seek some valid words from Mim Salvato - rather then leaping to a backwards-thinking conclusion. So far - Mr Cahill has been one of the most patriotic soldiers in the Australian brigade. Lets keep his affection for the Antipodes. Over and out

by Daniel Phan on June 20, 2009 at 10:54 PM

Spot on from zeroagainst - you've only got to read the crap written by current footballphobes Peter Fitzsimons or Roy Masters - the Heralds own - to understand that there are plenty of followers of the eggball codes from reputable rags, that are ready to rain on any parade that furthers footballs profile.

First of all.....the story runs in the Telegraph - a News Ltd publication. Now there's a reason for immediate scepticism.

These people are scared - shit scared - that there beloved eggball is under threat from a game with more juniors than the others combined - and a growing professional profile enhanced by another World Cup attendance.

Enter Timmy Cahill having a few beers with his mates - being asked to leave an establishment when it closes - nothing more.

The eggball freaks see an opening and go for it. Cahills response in the interview with Fox's Mel McLachlan after the Japan game was measured, controlled and totally appropriate in the context of events.

If he refuses to talk to the FFA's broadcast partner for what is in essence totally legitimate reasons then Fox (and therefore News Ltd) has a problem of its own creation. Its not an issue for the FFA.

After years and years of nothing, there are finally exciting developments in Australian Football - WC qualification - WC Host bid - and Australian football has top shelf ambassodors for its cause in the form of the Socceroos.

The knives are out - be prepared for a big
big bitch fight.

by Cav on June 21, 2009 at 08:58 AM

This a beat up if ever I saw one! If the "thugby league" journos are so serious to fabricate a story about Cahill being so drunk and then kicked out of a drinking establishment with every other patron at closing time, there is only one conclusion, fear of the un-known. For this to make the front page of the other newspaper, is sensationalisim at its best. The un-known being footballs rise in the general publics eye, and to eventually take over the other codes as the no.1 sport in Oz, the same as it is all around the world. These journos are looking after their self interests, because they know nothing about football and can't write anything other than to try and bring the game down. There will be plenty of opportunities in the coming 12 months or so to write about football leading up the 2010 world cup in S.Africa, so we will just have to see what they have to write then, and I bet there won't be many positives from them.

by Count on June 21, 2009 at 04:15 PM

It's times like these I'm ashamed to call myself an Aussie.

Thankfully, these are few and extremely far in-between.

by TrubbleMaker on June 21, 2009 at 10:39 PM

Shame on New Ltd! The journo's and creative department must be getting dry if stories like Tim';s make the front page....BIAS I say!

by Tom on June 23, 2009 at 01:05 PM

Now Now Tom, lets not be too snippy. Considering the amount of money Fox Sports has pumped into the FFA to make sure football is viable in this country, I would not have a go at News Ltd.
Fox Sports aren't making money from Football, the fact that no other broadcaster would even consider buying A-League coverage at the prices the FFA are asking is indicative of this.

Tim Cahill could possibly justify his snub on Fox Sports because of The Tele's attacks on him, however just because the two entities have the same owner, doesn't mean they have the same journos, or motivations.

The Tele has a lot of interest in the success of League due to their audience. The journos who wrote the slander against Cahill are not Football writers and they are not workers at Fox Sports who pride themselves on their football coverage.

It is in Fox Sports best interests to see Football succeed, bugger, its in News Ltd's interest to see it succeed, considering what they have already invested.

It is not in the interest of a League Journo. He thought he had a story to meet his agenda, his editor trusted him and has copped it.

by VillaFan on July 06, 2009 at 10:45 AM

The Sun-Herald

Matthew Hall

Tim Cahill's "Drunken" Dramas

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