Controversy was sparked last Sunday after Tim Cahill celebrated his goal against Portsmouth by crossing his wrists, dedicating his goal to incarcerated brother Sean.
Cahill's older brother Sean Cahill (29 years old) was sent to jail in 2004 for assaulting victim Christopher Stapley, leaving him partially blind. Sean then left for Australia, but was finally caught and judged in England last year. He was sentenced to six years in jail.
The crime is a horrible one, and there is no justification. Sean Cahill is guilty and he is paying for it now.
But Tim still loves his brother and just wanted to say, "Hi." He simply misses his brother; the gesture was not a big deal.
However, Detective Constable Will Hope of the Metropolitan Police declared, " As a sport star in the public eye, Tim Cahill's actions are grossly irresponsible."
The midfielder, who plays for Everton, has said that he does "wholeheartedly apologize if any offence was caused." Knowing a bit about Cahill, I don't think that he is bad at heart. He means well and wouldn't hurt anyone—off the field, that is.
Cahill simply decided to express a personal sentiment in a symbolic way. It’s not like he wore a t-shirt saying "Free my brother." He didn't mime the crime.
So please leave him alone. Cahill is a supremely talented player, and not the guy the press should scandalize.
Go Tim, Go Aussies!
I added 2 of my favourite goals by Cahill in my media center.
7 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Andrew McNair about 1 year ago
Thanks Clement. I fully respect your views. His actions were harmless.
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Clement Andreau about 1 year ago
Thanls man, it really pisses me off when I saw the articles in the English press. Thankfully us at BR we know what to talk discuss, and what we talk about.
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Mike Prescott about 1 year ago
I was at the game and it was obviously an emotional moment for Cahill. I agree with you that he just wanted to show his brother he was thinking of him, and in no way was he trying to justify his brother’s crime. But unfortunately today’s media just love making controversy out of nothing.
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Matt S about 1 year ago
It was a slow news day and they had to put something on the back pages and this was the most controversial thing.
Probably not the cleverest thing he's ever done and wouldn't have felt great for the victim's family to see but Cahill has since apologized and he clearly meant no offence.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
With respect, you guys need a reality check. Sean Cahill committed a disgusting crime of violence and tried to escape capture. Tim Cahill's grandiose look-at-me gesture would have been appropriate for Nelson Mandela or Tibetan campaigners, not this dodgy criminal. And Cahill's "apology" was worthless and insincere because it contained the classic weasel word "if" i.e. "I'm sorry if any offence was caused" etc etc — although to be fair plenty of British newspapers play the same trick with their own pseudo-apologies. Tim Cahill says he just wanted to show his love for his brother. Fine. The way to do that would have been a phone-call or a letter or a visit to him in prison.
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Clement Andreau about 1 year ago
Tibetan Campaigners,hahahahaha...Lucky it's not a political blog, I don't think you know what you are talking about. Tim Cahill gesture was nothing wrong. Like tibetan campaigners are good people you think, lots of them are manipulated and ignorants (just check what was happening in Tibet during the first half of the 20th century). I love Tibetan activist from countries like America or Australia, they tell China to give back a land they had since the 12th Century, when these people are on land that was stolen by their ancesters way after 1100.
Anyway Cahill is a good guy, let him do whatever he wants
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Zare Kara about 1 year ago
Great Article, well done. I agree the media just wants to have something to talk about.
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