Tim Cahill believes the current Everton squad is the strongest it has been since he arrived from Millwall in 2004. After manager David Moyes made the suggestion he thought the Toffees were the best he has had them, the Australian international agreed, saying the mix of youth and experience was almost perfect.
"It's a massive statement, but I've been lucky enough to be here the same amount of time as the gaffer and what we do have here is a growth of players young and old and a good nucleus where we can rely on the youngsters just as much as the old players," Cahill told the Liverpool Echo.
"Saying old, we're not that old! But it's good that the gaffer can change the team and change the midfield and change the strikers and keep Louis (Saha) fresh and Yak (Yakubu) fresh and me.
"Victor (Anichebe) can come in and Jack Rodwell and Dan Gosling. The competition's there, especially at the back as well, so now it's all about how we find a happy medium between now and the end of the season."
And Cahill praised the squad for showing strength during times when many key players were injured and says it is the character of the Everton players that continually fights against the odds.
"I think for me personally being here and knowing what the team's all about and the club's all about it's not really amazing that we've come back from so many injuries," he explained.
"We always knew our potential and what we've got. It was just unfortunate the situation we found ourselves in and it was just a matter of time until we got all the lads back.
"I've been here. It happens every season. They say the same thing 'do they have enough, will they have enough?' and I think we don't talk a lot about what we're going to do we just try and slowly progress and show them on the football pitch.
"I'm pretty sure if you rewind back some of the comments made about or team and the players and some of the staff was pretty harsh - some of it was true - but you take it with a pinch of salt and the way we've kicked on just shows the spirit of this club. It's a good place to be."
