But you know what? I also like and respect fans who boo him. 

I don’t see it as an insult to an indisputably great player. I see it as a coming of age for football in this country, and especially for the A-League.

For a competition often derided for its franchise-based set up and “plastic fans”, the boos for Cahill are a sign of separating club loyalty from national pride.

Of course (most of) those fans would cheer him on in the green and gold and sing his praises as loud as anyone if he scored for Australia in the World Cup.

Of course (most of them) would lament any news of his retirement from international football.

But when he puts on a Melbourne City shirt, to rival fans he is the enemy. He is the figurehead of a team they want to beat and they want to put him off.

Sledging, barracking, and booing even a national icon – ESPECIALLY a national icon - like Cahill is something we should be proud of. 

Football is maturing in this country to the point where fans actually feel invested enough in an A-League side to take such a step.

Look overseas. David Beckham is a similar national icon…but when he wasn’t wearing an England strip, he was booed and sledged wherever he went.

Fans sang songs about his wife, booed him from the terraces and hissed at his freekicks.

But few of them would ever deny he was a legend.

It’s tribalism and it’s intrinsic to football culture. When he’s yours, he’s a hero. When he’s the rivals, he’s there to be taken down.

And in Cahill’s case, in A-League terms, there’s plenty to fire up opposition supporters. 

The FFA changed the rules specifically to allow him to play for City. They even chipped in to help oil barons pay for him. No other team in the A-League has benefited in the same way.

He also has a nasty habit of scoring bloody wonderful goals which would infuriate any rival fan.

And for those asking: How do we explain the booing to our children? It’s pretty simple. He’s playing for a rival team. That’s it. 

Their illusions won’t be shattered, the role model will defy the boos on the field and score even more wonderful goals and Australian domestic football will be better for it.

It’s not a sign of disrespect - it’s just the opposite. 

Iconoclasm is one of the great Aussie traits. To deny that for the sake of “good manners” would be UnAustralian. Football is not about being polite.

And Cahill doesn’t need people being nice to him for the sake of it…but be warned – I'm sure the boos will only fire him up more.