buddy

Because he wouldn't sign a 2 year contract. If he leaves on a free then more than likely he will get a big signing on fee wherever he goes.

Out of interest - how does Pienaar know what Arteta is on to demand parity with Arteta? Surely Arteta's contract is confidential? I can't imagine he would go around telling team mates what salary he is on... I think Pienaar is OK with the money offered but wants to play Champions League. Simple, if we finish top 4 he will sign, otherwise he will go. So it's simple really. Stop dropping points to rubbish teams like Wolves and Blackburn and we will keep Pienaar...

Aussie Rules has both a salary cap and and a draft system based on best to worst performing teams. It works well as no one team can sustain dominance for longer than around 3-5 years. And, provided teams draft well, no one team will have sustained periods of poor performance. Basically the drafting works that the bottom team from a season gets pick 1 in the national draft, second bottom gets pick 2 and so on. Players cannot be drafted before the age of 18 and play in an Under 18 competition which has no affiliation to professional clubs. There are a few reasons though why a salary cap and draft system will never be implemented in EPL. The draft wouldn't work due to the promotion/relegation system. Aussie Rules is one national competition so it is simple to work the draft. With almost 100 teams across EPL down to league 2 it would simply be unworkable. The current youth system works well IMO - perhaps something they could look at is capping the amount you can pay a player under 18 year of age? The salary cap is a great way of ensuring all teams have an opportunity for success. The fact is though, it is illegal. If a player or manager here in Australia took the AFL (Australian Football League) to court the salary cap would be thrown out in 2 seconds flat. It is a restraint of trade. I'm pretty sure if the EPL tried to introduce it Wayne Rooney's agent would be the first in the court room... The other problem with a salary cap is the number of leagues around the world. If the EPL placed a cap on wages, all the good players would just go and play in Italy or Spain. And if Europe joined forces, there would be investment in some other part of the world and the players would all flock there. It is a great idea, and works well in Oz. But I think due to football being a world sport a salary cap would be a very difficult thing to introduce.

Jags for mine. His composure at the back is so important to us. Overall though most players contributed throughout the game. Howard's mistake was obviously a big one, but he did make some important saves. Bilyaletdinov is a concern - looks too slow to me to play on the left side. Thought Coleman was really good too. Looked like Moyes gave him the job of assisting Neville in containing Bale and they did a fantastic job.

Now see this is my exact point. He does get no more stick than the likes of Hibbert, Distin, Yakubu, Fellaini etc, but he doesn't get afforded the same room for a poor game that the likes of Arteta, Pienaar, Howards and Jags get - and IMO he deserves that. It's probably understandable that the people that DO give Cahill the respect he deserves are the ones posting in here. I'm not saying he's beyond reproach - when he plays a bad game I will more than happily say as much. What gets on my nerves is when he plays a bad game and people start calling for his head. As someone has mentioned - the most important thing is that he has the respect of his manager and his peers. He has that.

I'm not suggesting that it is because he is Australian. Leon Osman (although not as good as Cahill) is another who doesn't get the respect he deserves and he is English so your theory doesn't hold up. What I am referring to is that when Pienaar, Arteta, Howard or Jags have poor games there is never a suggestion that perhaps they shouldn't be in the starting XI (and nor should there be). For some reason though, a quiet Tim Cahill game brings out the posters calling for him to be replaced. I suppose I don't understand why he doesn't get the same flexibility that the above mentioned players do. I guess it comes down to what another poster has mentioned - he is not a "pretty" or a technical player. So unless he scores, his other work around the ground often goes unnoticed. My comment about English whinging was somewhat tongue-in-cheek (just getting some friendly rivalry going before the ashes). For what it's worth - I do not back all Aussies regardless of their output. I saw Lucas Neill for what he was worth - a stop gap, but ultimately a player who would always walk elsewhere for cash, and to be honest not a player of Everton quality (gives away far too many free kicks and goes to ground too often).

At times and from some, yes. Too often though after a quiet game from Cahill I read posts on this forum about how he shouldn't be a starter anymore, or that he is too old and past it. It seems to me that he is not offered the right to the odd quiet game like other players are. Don't get me wrong though - I'm not suggesting he is at the level of Ball, Labone, Dean, Southall etc. But in terms of a modern Everton only Arteta is on the same level as him. Other players have shown glimpses but Cahill and Arteta are the only two that have done it consistently over a sustained period of time. Like I say, I'm not suggesting he never has a poor game - he does, as do others. I just think it seems some on here are quick to find fault. And yes, I am born and bred an Aussie. But I am also a born and bred Evertonian. And I have spent my fair share of time living in (and loving) the city of Liverpool.

Considering both Man Utd and Chelsea have made offers for him in the past I would suggest the answer would be yes. It really does baffle me the lack of respect Cahill gets on this forum. He is our leading goal scorer this year, consistently puts his body on the line for the club, and plays injured in many cases (whereas some of our other players might take the opportunity to have a couple of weeks rest). Flew back from Oz to take part in both training and Sunday's match (anyone who's done the 24 hour flight from Oz to UK would know how draining it is on the body), scores a goal and never stopped running yet still we find fault in him? Please. Look back at the past 5 years at Everton. There is only one player who is possibly ahead of Cahill in terms of performance in this time and that is Arteta. He deserves alot more respect than he gets on this forum. But I suppose the English will always find something to whinge about...

Not quite sure why clubs do it, Everton aren't the only ones that don't release full details of injuries. I am an Aussie Rules fan and I know my club over here does the same thing, and while it frustrates the heck out of me, I don't think its uncommon. Why do they do it? No idea. As for the idea that it is "worrying" that Arteta has picked up an injury I think that is far from the truth. It is not uncommon for players coming off long term injuries to pick up niggles upon their return. Don't think there is any need to be concerned on this one. In fact, I would be more than happy for the club to put him in cotton wool until the end of the season. A full pre-season under his belt and I'm sure we'll see him back to his best next season (and the same can be said for Yakubu and Jagielka).

I've got to say, I'm not an Osman fan, but thought he was fantastic today. Tackled well, ran hard both ways and was creative. Donovan, Pienaar and Distin (unusually) all good I thought. Sitting at home in Melbourne at 2am writing this and I gotta say its the best feeling. Just wish I could have been at Goodison today to celebrate with the rest of you! I'll have to settle for giving it to all my bandwagon Man Utd mates on Monday. COYB!!

Mate, you only ever beat us in the UK and that's because you doctor pitches to suit your needs...and even then you only crawl over the line. Every time you come to Oz though you get a smashing. As an Aussie, we always enjoy watching you Poms bash your own as soon as things go a little wrong, and then carry on like you're the greatest ever as soon as you actually win something. Let's not forget that your population is triple ours and still you battle to keep up with us on the sporting field...it's embarrassing for you.

Give it a rest please? You're giving us Aussies a bad name. Neill is a good player - but so is Heitinga, Distin and Yobo, so for the moment Neill will have to wait his turn (which he would have known when he signed). I'm willing to bet he'll get his chance this week against Bolton and then it will be up to him to keep his spot. You are seriously embarrassing yourself. Yes we're midtable but if you think it's purely because Lucas Neill is warming the bench and we're playing too many long balls then you alot less about the game than you make out. Maybe, just maybe, our poor start is due to a number of things, such as the Lescott saga at the start of the season, a group of new players learning to play together, and injuries to our best defender, striker, and 2 best midfielders. Lucas Neill is not the SOLE answer to Everton's problems at the moment. As I say, your love affair with the Aussie players is embarrassing for us all down here. Cahill is a good player - nothing more, nothing less. At times he can be as good as Lampard and Gerrard, and at other times he has less impact on the game than Osman. He is erratic - no world beater, but every Everton fan is happy to have him. And Neill is OK - at times his defensive work can be first class. At others though he gives away too many free kicks, is undisciplined and gets caught in the wrong position. So please, do all of us favour, take off your rose coloured glasses of Aussie players, and start supporting the entire Everton squad rather than the 2 that happen to wear green and gold a couple of times a year.

Cannot believe the reaction to this signing. All I ever hear from Everton fans is whinges about 1. Tony Hibbert not being up to EPL standard, and 2. We don't have enough squad depth to compete in both the EPL and Europa. And now, we go and sign a guy who can play Hibbert's position, and add some much needed depth to the squad, and most people seem annoyed at the signing? He's no world beater, but he'll do a job for us, and fill an important hole. Let's not forget, we signed him on a FREE. And I for one love the fact that he turned down Liverpool. Makes his move to Goodison all the more sweeter.