I'll come back even stronger, insists Tim Cahill

Returning to the first team the following January against Reading, Cahill then suffered another setback on March 3, falling awkwardly at Bramall Lane in an innocuous challenge with future Goodison Park colleague Phil Jagielka, who was playing for Sheffield United.

The former Milwall midfielder then aggravated the problem in his comeback match - a pre-season friendly at home to German club Werder Bremen but made a goalscoring return against European opposition when he netted with a diving header just 14 minutes into the game.

However, Cahill's campaign ended prematurely again when he broke his foot in a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United on March 22, an injury which led to extensive surgery in Australia this summer.

For most of Cahill's career he has prided himself on his durability so, working his way back to fitness on Merseyside as his team-mates jet off to Switzerland for a pre-season, he refuses to be downhearted.

He said: "I'm a footballer, I'm very young and injuries happen. I'm thankful that I've played about 350 games in my career already so I'm trying to look at the positives.

"There's nothing else for me to do but just concentrate on football and my family and the biggest thing is that football is my passion and I enjoy it.

"Whether it's getting fit or staying fit, I'm always involved in it."

As a midfielder who averaged a goal every four games in more than 200 lower division appearances for Millwall and who currently has a scoring ratio better than one in every three-and-a-half matches at the top level, finding the back of the net has always been a crucial part of Cahill's game.

Manager David Moyes has regularly commented on how the Sydney-born player's goalscoring record compares favourably with that of many strikers and the 4-5-1 formation that Everton adopted so effectively to secure a top-four finish in the Australian's first season at Goodison Park was largely due to the way he operates just behind the forward line.

Cahill has played in less than half of Everton's games in both of the past two seasons but still finished the 2007/08 campaign in double figures.

He said: "When I came back from that injury I scored 10 goals in 28 games so for me that's not frustrating.

"I missed a couple of games towards the end of last season but hopefully I'll come back and do the same."

However, it's not just Cahill who now has an eye for a goal in the Everton team.

Just two years ago, Moyes's side finished the 2005/06 Premier League campaign averaging less than a goal a game as a team.

However, the subsequent arrivals of £20million strikeforce Ayegbeni Yakubu, who became the first Everton player in the Premier League era to break the 20-goal barrier in a season and Andrew Johnson, who has reached double figures in both his seasons at the club, have boosted their scoring output.

Yet it is the contribution from other areas like himself which has pleased Cahill.

He said: "We've got more goals in the side now and we need that from everywhere.

"Whether it's Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott or Ossie (Leon Osman), everyone needs to pitch in.

"It just makes it easier on the team and takes the pressure of the strikers as well.

"If we get more goals it's a bonus."

DON'T miss Tim Cahill's verdict on new Everton assistant manager Steve Round in tomorrow's Daily Post.