Australia's Chinese Super League (CSL) star Tim Cahill would be a "massive addition" to domestic A-League football competition, Football Federation Australia (FFA) chief David Gallop said on Wednesday.
Gallop released a statement according to which the FFA would support the A-League clubs in "any way it can" to secure the Australian national team's most prolific scorer from China's Hangzhou Greentown when his one-year deal expires, reports Xinhua.
"I'd love to see him play every week here. We are ready to explore the opportunity of him playing in the A-League," Gallop added.
The comments came months after Gallop publicly slammed Cahill for not choosing to return to Australia after his contract with Shanghai Shenhua was terminated during the 2015-16 season.
In February, Gallop said Cahill was shunning the local league in favour of more lucrative contracts in China, but on Wednesday he explained his comments were "regretful" after Cahill shared the reason for staying in China with the FFA.
At the time of Cahill's contract termination, no A-League club was allowed to sign the Australian superstar under league rules, while his children were in school in China and his family were well settled.
"I obviously regret that my comments in February were taken as a criticism of him and the whole thing became the subject of so much commentary," Gallop said.
"With his kids only just starting new schools in Shanghai, the option of playing at Hangzhou Greentown was the best next move for him."
But Gallop still believes that Cahill would be an important signing for the prosperity of the A-League.
"Tim would be a massive addition to the A-League. I would love to see him play here," he said.
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