The Everton midfielder has been plagued by injuries this year which saw him miss most of the last part of the season for his club.

He recovered enough in time to score for Australia in the Asian Cup...but then broke another bone in his foot in a pre-season match for Everton against Werder Bremen.

Now he is set to hang up his international boots and focus on the Premiership instead after coming under pressure from Everton boss David Moyes.

"I understand me playing for Australia frustrates him, but you can never take away what we achieved as a country,” Cahill has told the Liverpool Echo.

"Now I understand that when I come back from this, maybe I will have to think differently.

"My priority now is Everton and the Australian manager knows this. I'm not in any rush to be thinking about Australia."

Cahill's departure would come as a bodyblow and shock to the Socceroos. At the age of just 27, Cahill is easily young enough to play at the 2010 World Cup.

His midfield genius with an eye for goal was sorely missed against Argentina and a fully-fit Cahill could have changed the outcome of Australia's dismal Asian Cup campaign.

He played a key part in the 2006 World Cup when he scored Australia's first ever goal in the competition which sparked the late comeback against Japan.

In all, he's scored 12 times for the green and gold in 27 appearances. Although he may just want a break from international duties, Australia don't have any matches lined up until their World Cup qualifiers next year.

He's expected to be fully fit again by the end of this month after missing the start of the season and was confident about the future earlier this week.

Scans this week showed it was all healing well and he's back running on the foot.

"I had an X-ray on Tuesday and it is positive. The bone is starting to calcify over and that is all I need to see - that we are moving forward," Cahill told the club's website.

"I feel like I have come a long way. In my head I am ready and set. I have done everything possible to be fit but realistically it is not possible.

"It is about keeping myself positive and keeping myself training every day."