The Mail Bag
No escape from Tim Cahill
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As an Evertonian who moved to Darwin, Australia, three weeks ago; I’m sorry to report that I now have an over-exposure to Tim Cahill. Let me explain. All the World Cup games are on one TV channel over here (SBS 1), so, from pretty much 7pm onwards every night, all that channel shows is football — at first highlights from the previous day, then the live matches through the night.
It really is the only thing worth watching over here, so that’s how I’ve been spending my evenings. The trouble starts when it comes to the ad breaks. Typical break goes like this:
- Sony advert — starring Tim Cahill (people following his training regime – so close as to “feel the experience’)
- Advert for local BBQ centre
- Optus advert (mobile company) — starring Tim Cahill (and Lucas Neill playing football against alligators and elephants).
- Advert for local car dealership
- Sony advert — starring Tim Cahill (playing football on a Playstation, as Tim Cahill of course).
Sometimes they will have Lucas Neill in them. It’s like that all night. But then I go to the supermarket — one of the first things I see is a big stack of Weet-bix (sic) with Tim Cahill on the box and a big cardboard cut out of him. And he’s in magazines everywhere. There is no escape...
Then again it could be a good thing. Okay, so Australia (or the Qantas Socceroos as they are known as) are out, but at least Tim scored. And this advertising seems to suggest that he is their favourite / most marketable player. So Lucas Neill features in the adverts, but has to say “Hi I’m Lucas Neill” (I guess as they don’t recognise him).
I know people have previously moaned that we don’t have any famous players that they layman in the street could name, but perhaps we do, just not if you ask an English person. Hopefully when Everton come over for the pre-season tour they will be able to build upon the popularity of Tim and get more people to the match and start to follow Everton.
And one last thing — at least it isn’t Harry Kewell!
Jip Foster, Posted 23/06/2010 at 23:42:41
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Now, I just see a miserable, brooding brat who clenches his ample jaw through the National Anthem and spits obscenities into the camera when his fans are voicing their displeasure at a truly awful performance.
Contrast with Tim Cahill. Sure, he's no saint on the pitch but he plays to win, often with a smile on his face and overall he's a role model, family man and unapologetic patriot who has again done his country proud.
Given the size of the US market, I am convinced that singing Donovan, even at the oft-mentioned £6M, would pay off commercially over a 4-year contract, notwithstanding many players now have earnings from "image rights" written into their deals.
He is helping to raise the profile of Australian football on the pitch and in the media. If people connect that he plays with Everton, that can only help us.
I've watched Tim score with his feet but I don't remember watching him playing better with his head. Cracking goal this morning.
Well, Jip, you can tell by that statement you have only been here for 3 weeks. There's plenty of sport on both pay tv and free to air. Mind you, maybe in Darwin (a country town) you don't get the choice you do in Sydney.
Africa = Drogba & E'too
North America = Donovan
South America = Messi
Europe = Cristiano Ronaldo
Australia = Tiny Tim
Each country/continent has their own sponsorship goldenboy.
Over here in Shanghai there is an advert in which Ronaldo is trying to head the sun as a ball. He then washes his hair with a cooling shampoo and he heads the sun again then turns it to ice!!!
Anything to top up the £180k a week then!!
I originally come from a small North Wales town (Harlech) and have been an Evertonian since being taken to my first game in 1977. I never really knew why my Father & his friends were Evertonians as none had any links to Merseyside. Now two of my girls have started coming to games with me, I thought I'd better find out how our links to EFC started.
"Simple," said my Dad, "when I was a kid, Everton had many Welsh players and often would come to North Wales to train, where I and my friends saw them."
Until his dying day, Johnnie was a dedicated fighter for the rights of Aussie kids to play our game. Blatant opposition came in many forms and from all quarters.
In my small country town I met with a similar response from officialdom and education bosses. Eventually, those opponents were forced to recognise a growing demand from the kids themselves.
From almost total obscurity, our game has become a major player on the Australian sporting scene and Tim Cahill has probably done more than most to bring that about. What is particularly pleasing to me is that when Tim gets a mention you can bet that Everton is also mentioned. I reckon that Tim has a higher profile than any other Australian sportsman.
Martin (#12), Sports Scene (or whatever it's called) in George St, has or at least had them when I was last there (hearteningly, the only other PL one than MU, Chelsea, Arse and Shite).
What a header and what a player. One of the best headers I've seen for years. Feel sorry for the Aussies, if Tim wasn't suspended last game they would've had a great chance of going through with his scoring record.
Give me Tim Cahill on every World Cup tv ad break and Television show. Instead we are treated to Hansen thinking he's English and Lawro talking shite about how great England are and how Rooney is world class. Nothing but a bunch of overpaid twats that don't deserve their status as role models.
How else does ManU sell stuff like they do. As a result of the millions of tourists who summer in Manchester year after year? Ha. It's cause they're a proven winner.
Put another way, I'd guess the sale of LD's US National Team shirt will spike much more than sale of his Galaxy shirt. Because the US is a winner in the WC and Galaxy is MLS (not something the general US sports population considers Big-time).
We gotta win first. Then the money. Then the "We have to sell to buy" discussion here ebbs. And is replaced with "Who are all these fair-weather fans. I miss the old days" discussions.
Top 4 countries by pop. China, India, US, Indonesia; about 40% the world's pop. Awash in Newcastle jerseys? Come on now. Shearer must still be pulling down some serious income from his cut of his jersey sales.
We talk a lot in here about EFC generating income. I agree with most of what's said as far as money affects developing/retaining/losing talent. As for the EFC's marketing sucks. I'm too new here to say.
But whatever country or sport, a universal truth in generating interest, popularity and income is winning. That comes first.
Yes, the odd Beckham happens. A no more than solid pro becomes a massive Star.
All I'm saying his winning is the absolute in drawing attention. Let's lift the Trophy next season and see what happens.
Personally, I don't give a shite if Aussies or Yanks support us or not... I would like us to get a bigger profile in Brazil or Argentina, as that could mean attracting Brazilian or Argentinian players, they may not be as rich but they're well better than Aussies or Yanks at playing football.
Also, I despise all these woeful World Cup ads... they're pathetic, EFC player or not. Seeing Tim do it is only embarrassing and takes away furher the feeling that he 'is just like one of us'.
But Fran (20) - also said, "people will only start supporting when we've won titles. (Yes, plural... ". There's truth in that, too.
So, let's get the Trophy for this coming season. It's a start, no?
WE WILL NEVER BE PART OF THAT ELITE! Even with 10 Tim Cahills from 10 different 'emerging' markets, WE WILL NEVER BE MAN UTD, LIVERPOOL, REAL MADRID.
Ok were not exactly the under-class of the football class system, more the comfortable middle class, who could still lose everything in a day if things go wrong for long enough.
The point is, no matter how many markets we 'exploit' (as if its a good thing), we will remain as we are. The only way for us to be level is with wholescale revolution of the football system, No 1 being movIng it away from the commercial (neo-liberal capitalist) model that currently holds it.
But anyway I digress, point I was making, I dont give a shit about playing economist, it is not going to effect this club, no matter how popular Donovan, Cahill, ec can prove to be. But if we are to focus on making ourselves popular in a particular country, I'd go for a country that has a recored of developing top talent, not top consumers.
Arsenal becasue they won titles, played great football.
Chelsea becasue they won titles.
Which clubs do know from Italy, Spain, Holland? Do you often talk of Rimini, Espanyol and Sparta with your friends?
Name a player from Torino, Deportivo etc without Wikipedia.
No, you know of Real Madrid, AC, Ajax, Bayern etc. why do you know of these clubs? Because of a spanky Kelloggs advert featuring Pirlo? Thought not.
100 years ago it was Huddesfield that was the team to beat; fast forward to the 1950s and the RS was a 2nd div side with a clapped out stadium. The point I'm making is that, like empires, the fortunes of football teams rise and fall and that nothing is forever. Look at Man Utd; they won the league, the European Cup and FA Cup in the 60s with world class players and a charismatic Scottish manager. (Sound familiar?) When he stepped down sometime in the early 1970s, they had a long period in the wilderness, that lasted with the occasional cup win until the 1990s.
You seem to think that the Sky 4 is set in stone and they will always be 1-4 in the league; take it from me, it doesn't work that way.
Man Utd, Liverpool however are lasting brands. If Man U and Liverpool stop being successful (one of them already has), they will maintain their multi-national support.
Look at David Beckham, there have been many better players than him, and even in his old, injury scuppered days he's got more pull than any England player at this World Cup.
My point is not that Everton cannot be successful, far from it, I believe that this season has the potential to be great if we apply ourselves correctly.
My point is that, no matter how many packets of crisps Tim Cahill puts his face on this will have zero impact. We will never touch Man U or Liverpool in the commercial sense (Arsenal and Chelsea are also miles off, and will never catch up).
Football did not start with the Premier League, like the World didnt start with capitalism, but they have seriously affected the way it has developed since its inception.
But why, if EFC lifts the Trophy this season, do you not think that will translate financially? Or am I mis-understanding you? Say we challenge for the Trophy the next 4-5 years, winning it a couple of times along the way.
I think that puts us right up there internationally with any EPL club. And as the EPL is so far and away the #1 viewed league on earth, it only follows that EFC's profile will go global just as Man Utd. David (26) made the main point on this, that team fortunes ebb and flow over the years.
You agree we could have a big season coming up. Well, what about adding another 5 years, say thru 2015 of competing for the top slot. Sure, without Mr Deep Pockets coming along, DM might have to keep on with his financial juggling act. But he'd be playing on the Big Stage to the bigger audience, so to speak. It's doable. Happens here in the States all the time in pro sports.
For that matter, aren't Man Utd in the position they are because SAF built them up slowly and continuously over the decades? And whatever financial problems the RS have now (what happens when you let speculators buy your company), current ownership had to take on £60 million in debt when they took over that team.
So it's not like things were all finance roses for RS until the Yanks bought in. They've been fucked for a number of years and now it's showing. If they sink the way it appears they're about to, the LFC "Brand" will sink too.
EFC Up, RS down will revolve around the exact same thing; winning.
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1 Posted 24/06/2010 at 00:10:32
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