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Jun 29 2009 Liverpool Daily Post

TIM CAHILL has blamed “bitter” player agents for a recent row within the Australia national team.

The Everton midfielder admitted he was angry with a situation that evolved in the Australian camp during the recent World Cup qualification campaign and said that a player agent, who he did not name, had deliberately tried to tarnish his character.

Cahill has endured a rollercoaster month in the spotlight, after he helped Australia to qualify for the World Cup, then was involved in a nightclub incident which prompted a media reaction against him before he turned hero again with two goals in Australia’s win over Japan at the MCG.

The Everton midfielder would not elaborate further on the claims, only saying that the support he received from people like Mark Schwarzer was very important to him.

Schwarzer publicly backed Cahill and was himself then targeted in a letter to a newspaper apparently written by an anonymous team-mate, criticising both him and Cahill - though some reports suggested the letter was drafted by the agent of the unnamed player.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out what’s happened in the last couple of weeks,” he said. “Obviously there’s player agents involved who are very bitter and it’s something that’s very difficult to explain, because me as a person, you think you can play football and that’s all that matters.

“Outside of football, commercially, is one thing you would hope wouldn’t affect a team. It’s one of those issues that definitely will be addressed after this whole camp.

“It’s something that’s made me angry and something that as a team, when we play we are unbelievable, but outside when it comes to other issues it’s a bit sad.

“The best thing I can do is let my football do the talking and that’s what I’ve done for years which is what has brought me to where I am.

“ Some big footballers have come out and supported me and understand the politics behind the scenes with players’ agents only, which is sad.

“I do my business on the pitch. It doesn’t affect me because it doesn’t faze me. It disappoints me, that’s all.”

Phil Jagielka, meanwhile, has expressed his hope that central defensive partner Joleon Lescott will remain at Goodison Park.

Big-spending Manchester City are tipped to launch an offer that they think the defender won’t be able to refuse. Joleon has been fantastic and it was nice to see him play for England at the end of the season,” said Jagielka.

“That tells you enough; he’s a massive part of our team and we don’t want him to go. I’m sure the club don’t want him to go.

“Plus we’ve only got two centre-halves, with me not being available at present.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of our players were subject to bids, but hopefully we are financially stable enough to reject them and build on the squad we have got.”