Friday 9 February 2018 21:25, UK
It's safe to say that Tim Cahill's second journey to Millwall was a far easier one than his first.
More than 20 years after making his initial voyage around the world to sign for the club, Cahill is back at The Den at the age of 38. And as he recalls the story of his first trip from Australia to south London, there is no doubt he knows what a big part it played in making him the man he is today.
"My parents got a loan for me to come over and then I had to wait for a trial," he told Sky Sports. "That's why I'm so committed to football and playing at the highest level for as long as possible. It was so hard to become a footballer in Australia, and to be a professional is the reward for your parents believing in you."
Making his debut in 1998 as an 18-year-old, Cahill would go on to play 250 times for the club before leaving for Everton in 2004. It was a special time for him, and he still considers Millwall to be his home, despite playing for five other clubs on three different continents since.
"Millwall invested everything into me: the players, the staff and the fans," he reminisced. "Then when you make your debut they adopt you and believe in you and it makes you want to fight for the team and do something special, and luckily enough I was able to do that. I learnt my apprenticeship here and I'm indebted to the club forever.
"When I first trialled here it just felt like home. Right away you want to be out there in the trenches with the lads, running around and hopefully touching the ball.
"Then I was able to walk on the pitch with the lads. One day I was cleaning Kim Grant's boots and then I got to play with them and feel the energy of the fans."
Cahill could hardly have been born further from Millwall, but he took to south London like a duck to water and immediately understood what the club meant to the fans and local area.
He even helped bring some success to the club, with a promotion from the old Second Division in 2001 followed by an FA Cup final appearance in 2004. Cahill scored the winner in the semi-final against Sunderland at Old Trafford to get them to the Millennium Stadium, where they lost to Manchester United in his last game for the club - until now.
"The semi-final was our final really," he said. "It was the day the fans had been waiting for for a very long time and it's something I'll never forget.
"Being a Millwall supporter is tough. They're very passionate and they live for the weekend, passing through the generations what it means to them. I was inherited by them very early on and I consider myself very lucky for that."
But if being a Millwall fan can be tough, then being a player for them can often be far tougher. There is an expectation at the club from the supporters, and there is a huge level of commitment required. Luckily, commitment is a quality that Cahill has in spades.
"You've got to be a particular character to play for Millwall," he continued. "The biggest thing about playing for our club is the intensity, commitment and passion, and putting your body on the line for the team.
"All my cousins and brothers are big Samoans, I don't have those genetics but in my head I'm still fearless. I always put my body on the line, especially when you're playing for something. I learnt at Millwall what it takes to carry on and keep going, and it's what helped make me."
Cahill remains a key part of Australia's side heading to this summer's World Cup and that was a big part of his thinking in re-joining Millwall. Not that this is a victory lap for him. He is here to play, contribute and make a difference between now and the end of the season.
"I contacted [the manager Neil Harris] and told him I was thinking of coming back to England to test myself," he said. "The Championship is one of the toughest leagues and I needed to think about my preparation going into the World Cup.
"It's only for four months but I wanted it to be a footballing decision. When I was speaking to clubs in England it was only ever about football. My job is to come here every day and be professional, to be around the young lads and older players and help them on an off the park, but when I'm put into a game I want to help the team get the right result.
"Fans know what they'll get with me. I'm not the same as when I was 16 but I'm very committed. I take pride in taking care of myself and when you join a club like this then it's not about you, it's about helping the club and supporting the lads. I can't thank the gaffer enough because he's given me an opportunity I'll never forget."
And while it seems likely that Cahill will be saying farewell to Millwall again in May as he prepares to head to Russia, he insists his love affair with the club will never be over.
"This is a short-term goal that fits perfectly with my scenario," he said. "But I'll never say it closes a chapter, because this chapter will never be closed."
Don't miss the Sky Bet Championship clash between Millwall and Cardiff on Friday night, live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 7pm
