It took Tim Cahill just 27 minutes into his A-League debut for Melbourne City to make the club's near A$4M ($3M) joint outlay with Footballl Federation Australia "seem like a wise investment," according to Dominic Bossi of the SYDNEY MORNING HEARLD. His "wonder goal" in the Melbourne derby on Saturday night showed why the most notable name in Australian football "is also the game's best advertisement, providing a new sales pitch to attract sponsors and broadcasters." Having "failed to lure any big-name players to Australia during this transfer window, the FFA and City put all their eggs in one basket with the signing of Cahill in their bid to attract a major network and bumper TV deal for the future seasons." It was a "gamble that may have paid off" as Cahill's "incredible" long-range goal "was struck before a full house at Etihad Stadium and in front of the prospective new broadcast partners." The likes of Channel Nine, Seven and Ten "were watching the Melbourne derby and Cahill's debut ahead of the next series of negotiations for a new A-League and Socceroos' broadcast deal, which is set to commence this week." BeIN Sports are also understood "to be interested in the rights for the A-League and challenge Fox Sports as the subscription TV broadcaster." FFA CEO David Gallop says Cahill's goal on debut "could prove invaluable ahead of this week's meetings." Gallop: "We've got further talks with TV networks this week and while it's early days, a goal like that from Tim Cahill couldn't come at a better time" (SMH, 10/16).
