Cahill backs Premier League delay

Everton midfielder Tim Cahill thinks the opening round of Premier League fixtures this weekend should be postponed in the wake of the riots around England.

Fresh from scoring in Australia’s 2-1 friendly victory over Wales in Cardiff, Cahill said postponing the opening round until the end of the season was the only course of action after a week of bloody riots on the streets of London and other major UK cities.

Tottenham have also supported Cahill’s calls, with Premier League officials due to make a decision on Thursday, with games in London, Birmingham and Manchester the most under threat.

Cahill and his Everton team-mates are due to play in Tottenham on Saturday, just seven days after riots broke out in the suburb following the shooting of Mark Duggan by police last week.

Those riots spread across the country and tension still remains particularly high in Birmingham following the death of three men, rammed by a vehicle in a hit-and-run attack, as they attempted to protect a petrol station.

Cahill, though, felt that using police and ambulance services to control crowds at football matches would be putting too much pressure on resources following a week where they have already been stretched to the limit.

“The main thing is, you have to think about the police who are working day in, day out,” Cahill said.

“The ambulance, the firemen – they are human beings. We need to reward them, people need to help them. I know it’s not up to us, but that is important.”

“For us, if we have to sacrifice an extra week at the end of the season to finish off the games, then so be it.”

Having originally lived near the capital when he played for Watford, Cahill said that he had never seen anything like this in all his time in the UK.

“For me, being in England for 14 years now, it’s important that everyone pulls together and makes sure we get back together again,” he said.

“You have to make sure no-one gets hurt.”