Source: Daily_Mail
Moyes misery: Basement boys Everton lose key man Cahill for up to six weeks
Everton's hopes of climbing up to safety from the foot of the Barclays Premier League table are to be rocked by the loss of Tim Cahill for up to six weeks.[LNB] Manager David Moyes is concerned over a knee injury that could sideline Cahill at Birmingham today and affect his trip to play for Australia at home to Paraguay next Saturday.[LNB] Injury blow: Everton's Tim Cahill[LNB] But it is a recent change to the Socceroos' calendar that is causing Moyes most anxiety, as they will now play the Asia Cup in the new year.[LNB] Australia's switch from Oceania to Asia may offer them an easier qualifying route to the World Cup but has done Everton no favours, as their free - scoring midfielder is now likely be absent over Christmas and throughout January.[LNB] 'Tim has trained, but I'm worried about his knee,' said Moyes. 'We'll see if he plays against Birmingham first, but we probably need to have a bit of a chat about the Paraguay game.[LNB] 'The bigger issue is the Asia Cup, because we stand to lose him in the same way we lost Joseph Yobo to the African Nations.[LNB] 'We've got to respect football in every part of the world, not just in our continent. But I think, in the same breath, there has to be some consideration for the clubs who are paying these players an awful lot of money.[LNB] Under pressure: David Moyes[LNB] 'We could lose a player who's just been given a fouryear contract and suffer financially and in terms of league position while he's away. The time may be approaching where this is all brought into line, or clubs are going to start asking to be reimbursed.[LNB] 'I don't think a manager will be able to prevent a player going, but you wonder whether future contracts may stipulate that anyone from Africa, or maybe now Australia, won't get paid by thei r clubs for these extended periods on international duty.'[LNB] Everton have had six games without a win so far this season, but Moyes said his professional pride has not been damaged. 'If you go into football management, there's always the chance you will be in this position, depending on what you've got at your disposal.[LNB] 'We are at the bottom and I'm not going to hide away from that and say it's not me, or not my team. We were very close to the bottom at the outset and it's a bit like toothache. You know you might suffer if you don't invest and move forward. We have been pain-free at the top end recently but, as we are finding now, the toothache can come back.[LNB] He added: 'You don't want to wake up to it after 25 games and that's why I am on the case now.' [LNB] Everton are in a relegation battle, Moyes tells his basement boysSaha to return to training at Everton next week after French treatmentBIRMINGHAM v Everton: Top scorer Craig Gardner banned with Keith Fahey set for recall[LNB] [LNB]
