Everton FC star Tim Cahill dedicates winning goal in Europa League tie to Tsunami victims

By Dan Kay on Oct 2, 09 04:59 PM in Journalists

EVERTON star Tim Cahill has dedicated his winning goal in the Blues' Europa League win over BATE Borisov to the victims of the Samoan tsunami.

The Australian sealed Everton's 2-1 win with a looping effort 14 minutes from time in Minsk and appeared to mimic rowing a boat in the aftermath of the goal.

He said today, "Everyone knows about the Tsunami in Samoa and it affected the village where my family comes from, which is a place that's very close to my heart.

"I had the chance when I was a kid to play for Samoa and I spent a lot of time there.

"I go back there quite a lot and help the kids with shoes, clothes, kit and things like that. I've done some soccer clinics there.

"It's been devastating out there. I have spoken to my mum's sister and a few other members of the family who had to find areas of higher ground because their homes had been so badly affected. My grandparents are from an affected village and it's where my mother grew up.

"It has hit me very hard because I believe so much in family values and origins - hence my tattoo when my Samoan grandmother died - and they have sent me photographs showing how bad it is out there.

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"Some people are now staying in tents with plastic sheets over the top of them. They're just trying to deal with it and they are trying to arrange a mass funeral for all the people who have died.

"I am working on something now, which might take a bit of time, to try and help out. I've got some great sponsors in Australia and a lot of people there want to help out.

"I will start some sort of appeal.

"When I first heard about all this I didn't realise how big and how bad it was but when I did, I was determined straight away to try and do something to help.

"If I could leave training for a week and do some aid work, I'd do it but obviously I can't do that.

"However, I can put people in place to help but it's not something that will happen overnight.