Cahill sure he'll make World Cup - Neill

Socceroos midfielder Tim Cahill's World Cup outlook has brightened considerably with further diagnosis of his injured knee.

International teammate Lucas Neill said today Cahill was now certain he'll overcome injury in time for the Cup starting on June 9.

Cahill partially tore his posterior cruciate ligament during Everton's match with Birmingham on Saturday and the club's head physio initially forecast a six week recovery period.

"He is supremely confident he will be okay," Neill told Sydney radio station 2KY from England today.

"The worst fears were that it was going to be six, seven or eight weeks or possibly even worse.

"But he has seen so many knee surgeons in the last few days and all have brought his time down to three or four weeks."

Neill said that Cahill, a former club teammate at Millwall, was an key member of the national team and its World Cup campaign.

"He is very important. We are all going to get two or three weeks rest, but Tim can get a couple of extra considering he has played almost every game this season for Everton," Neill said.

"In saying that, you want to be going in feeling confident about your body and feeling strong about yourself.

"It is not the perfect preparation going into a World Cup, but those extra weeks could be in his favour."

The Sydneysider said that the Socceroos were not going to Germany to make up the numbers and had a realistic goal of progressing beyond the group stages.

"I just want to get there with the team and put on a display so Australia goes on to the further rounds," said Neill.

"If I do well along with everybody else we can all aspire to bigger and better things."

Neill has also enjoyed a career-best season for his club Blackburn, with the rugged defender becoming a key fixture in the Rovers' surprise ascent up the English Premier League table.

However, Neill will use the opportunity of the World Cup to put himself into contention for a dream move to one of Europe's top clubs.

"I have got one year to run (of my contract), which means if I don't get one by December this year, then I can leave on a free transfer," Neill said.

"I am in negotiations right now...but commonsense tells any player going into a major tournament like the World Cup to sit tight, put yourself into the window knowing you can fall back on a Blackburn contract and (see) what doors might open."

Blackburn are currently battling to hold off a fast-finishing Newcastle for sixth place in the Premier League, an extremely valuable position which denotes the last spot from which European qualification can be attained.

"There are three games to go and those three games come in a short space of time, and the boys are now counting down five training sessions left for the season," said Neill.

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