Australia debut delights Cahill ahead of FA Cup semi

Millwall midfielder Tim Cahill had a memorable warm-up for this weekend's FA Cup semi-final when he made a long-awaited debut for Australia in the 1-0 win over South Africa when coach Frank Farina, pictured here (L) talking to players during a training session, decided to rest some of his stars

Millwall midfielder Tim Cahill had a memorable warm-up for this weekend's FA Cup semi-final when he made his long-awaited Australia debut in the 1-0 win over South Africa here at Loftus Road.

An elated Cahill came on as a 74th-minute substitute after Socceroos coach Frank Farina decided to rest some of his stars, including Leeds striker Mark Viduka and Liverpool forward Harry Kewell.

"It was always in the back of my mind that I would never get a chance to play on the world stage, or even get a chance to be in the squad," said Cahill.

"But the main thing is, if I keep playing well for my club, then people can look at my situation and understand and use a bit of commonsense," the 24-year-old added.

Cahill only recently received the green light to represent Australia following a protracted eligibility row because he played for Western Samoa, his mother's native country, as a 14-year-old in an Under-20 tournament.

"It was a massive mistake," Cahill said.

"I was only a young kid and obviously everyone makes mistakes. I never want to see anyone else in my predicament.

"I don't think I should regret anything because you do what you do and you just get on with it.

"I think I've dealt with it well, I've come through it with the right people around me and all that counts now is just playing well for my club and then playing for my country.

"If I'm not playing well for my club, then I'm obviously not going to play for Australia."

Among those around him Tuesday were members of his family, and they will also be there to cheer him on at Manchester United's Old Trafford ground come Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Millwall's English First Division rivals and fellow promotion-chasers Sunderland.

Cahill revealed he also had strong support from his Millwall team-mates, albeit he had to endure a fair bit of backhanded banter from his colleagues at the southeast London club.

"They give me a bit of stick here and there saying, 'you're finally playing for Australia,'" he said. "But you take it tongue-in-cheek and I'm just enjoying every part about it and I'm relishing playing on Sunday."

Another of Cahill's great supporters during his struggle to play for Australia was Farina, who predicted great things for his latest debutant.

"Tim's got a big future ahead of him," said the Socceroo chief.

But the player who really had Farina purring was Viduka, whose classy pass created Australia's 18th minute winner for Parma's Marco Bresciano.

"I've predicted he (Viduka) will go on to be one of the greats of the Australian national team," Farina said.

Bresciano and Blackburn's Brett Emerton made way for Cahill and Mile Sterjovski after Kewell and Viduka had been substituted in the 63rd minute.

Blackburn and Leeds are both battling to avoid relegation while Liverpool are scrapping for the fourth spot that would give them entry into next season's Champions League.

But Farina insisted the changes had nothing to do with club pressure. "This was a strange (game) because no clubs requested anything," he said.

And he remained hopeful of calling on a full-strength side for Australia's two matches against Turkey in Sydney and Melbourne next month as well as the World Cup qualifiers.

Kewell and Viduka, once team-mates at Leeds, controversially missed last month's friendly against Venezuela, with Kewell saying an ankle problem prevented him from playing after long-haul flights.

"I think it's unfortunate sometimes, you focus on one or two individuals when we've got a very, very strong squad and I believe we've got a lot of superstars in the making," said Farina.

"Bresciano is one. He's playing exceptionally well for his club and his country but I think he can get better."