Cahill will go down as a legend

A former Everton great has hailed Socceroo star Tim Cahill as the Toffees’ greatest player of the modern era.

Graeme Sharp, Everton’s second all-time leading scorer, said Cahill is a £20 million ($32.3m) asset who is on the verge of legend status at Goodison Park.

And that’s no mean feat at a club whose legends include one of the most prolific scorers in English history, Dixie Dean, who scored 383 goals in 433 games for Everton.

Cahill last week scored his 50th Barclays Premier League goal in just 174 appearances for the Merseysiders.

“Tim Cahill is Everton’s best player in recent times, certainly from ’95 I don’t think there’s been anyone better,” Sharp said.

“Duncan Ferguson has legend status but I think Tim’s up there with him and when Tim hangs up his boots Evertonians will remember him fondly and he’ll have legendary status.”

Sharp saidl he believes Cahill is among the top three scoring midfielders in the Premier League.

“Lampard and Gerrard spring to mind but you have to put Cahill in there because when he gets a chance nine out of 10 times he puts it away,” he said, adding he was in a “different class.”

Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news directly in your email inbox.