Tim Cahill has offered an insight into his plans for his future in football - having played a role in Everton's search for a new manager in January.
The former Goodison Park favourite advised Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri in the recruitment process after the sacking of Rafa Benitez.
After appointing Frank Lampard as Benitez's successor, Moshiri namechecked Cahill and referenced the influence he had during the managerial hunt. "Tim Cahill was [also] advising me personally and attending all the interviews," he said. "He did very diligent, serious work."
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While Cahill was expected to return to Everton in an official capacity following these exchanges, as of yet his acquisition has not been confirmed.
Speaking after Australia failed to secure automatic qualification for the 2022 World Cup, Cahill was asked about his own ambitions having hung up his boots. The 42-year-old told the Daily Telegraph (h/t the Daily Mail ) that he didn't want to go down a conventional route.
"Taking a back seat has pretty much been where I see myself but taking that back seat is going to escalate me to somewhere that is going to be, I think, in the future a top leader in football and especially here in Qatar," Cahill said.
"When I got closer to having opportunities to coach and manage, I started to see the world. I said to myself, 'okay, let’s put the handbrake up, let’s not accept being a manager. Why can’t I oversee a big institution? Why can’t I be a CEO? Why can’t I be director of football? Why can’t I own a football club?'"
Cahill is currently the chief sports officer of the Aspire Academy in Qatar and last year he also joined the board of Belgian football club Eupen.
The Australia international is regarded as one of Everton's finest players of the Premier League era, scoring 68 goals in 278 appearances for the club.
