Football
AAP 6y

Tim Cahill 'outside chance' for Socceroos' WC playoff vs. Honduras

Tim Cahill admits he is only an "outside chance" of featuring in the first leg of Australia's World Cup qualifying playoff against Honduras.

Travelling a day late to aid his recovery from an injury sustained while on A-League duty with Melbourne City, Cahill sported a strapped and iced ankle at Melbourne airport, where he departed on Monday to link up with the rest of the Socceroos.

He said two of his own "independent physios" have worked on his ankle for the past 48 hours but was unwilling to rule himself fit to play.

"I'm definitely not going to promise anything," Cahill said.

"We're making a calculated decision and if it works, it's fantastic.

"We know the situation and I'm ready to give it a go and that's all that matters.

"I feel it deserves that because it's probably one of the most important couple of weeks in Australian soccer coming up.

"I understand all the stuff around it with me travelling, but I wouldn't be doing it if I thought it was the wrong thing."

Cahill said he was doing everything within his power to reduce the swelling in his ankle, having undergone an MRI scan early on Saturday morning that cleared him of any breaks.

"I've got 20 years of experience of injuries playing at the highest level. You can speed the process with pretty much around the clock work," he said.

"Even when I'm walking in airports I'll have ice packs on my ankle and on the plane ... I'll have machines working on it.

"I make a strong commitment to my body. I'm 38 next month, it's the reason why I'm still playing.

"I take it so seriously because it could be my last few games for the Socceroos.

"It might be a serious injury afterwards, but it's all for a good cause."

The Socceroos will at least have one striker fit and firing after Tomi Juric found the net for Swiss club FC Luzern just hours before making the trip to Honduras.

Juric scored his fifth goal of the season in a 3-0 victory over St Gallen, but had a penalty attempt saved.

It appears Cahill can hope for a late cameo off the bench in San Pedro Sula an absolute best-case scenario.

But if not, he said it was still important he was "in the trenches" with the rest of the team.

"I've been on the phone two weeks prior with Mile Jedinak, just speaking about how it was when we were in Uruguay [in 2005]," he said.

"It's going to be pretty much an eye-opener for these guys.

"It'll be a bit different not being in this sort of situation before."

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