Melbourne City coach addresses Cahill exit talk

Melbourne City coach Warren Joyce admits he was surprised by suggestions Tim Cahill could leave the A-League club for more game time ahead of the World Cup.

Cahill dropped the bombshell in an emotional post-match interview after the Socceroos beat Honduras 3-1 to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday night.

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"For me now, I've got to make some big decisions on the level of where I'm playing at and what I'm going to do," Cahill told Fox Sports after Australia's triumph.

"We'll just enjoy this for now, but I need game time. I knew this was going to happen, it was only a matter of time. I'm excited for the future.

Brisbane Roar coach and former Socceroos striker John Aloisi said he took the comments to mean that Cahill would walk away from City if he wasn't given more minutes.

"He virtually said if he doesn't get game time he's off, he's away from Melbourne City," Aloisi said.

"Because he wants to go to the World Cup and he knows he needs to play regular football to get there.

However, Joyce says he hadn't had any such conversations with the Socceroos star about his future at the A-League club.

"I actually have not heard that from Tim himself," Joyce said.

"My view on it is the last game was one of our biggest of the season, which he started.

"He's club captain, part of the leadership group."

Joyce was referring to Cahill's first start of the season in the match against Sydney FC when he picked up the injury that put him in doubt for the Socceroos' clashes with Honduras.

When pressed on whether Cahill's comments could be construed as an ultimatum to Melbourne City, Joyce was unequivocal.

The City coach stressed that no player was bigger than the team but denied suggestions that Cahill was inadvertently demanding to start for the club.

"As far as I'm concerned he hasn't because he's not said that to me."

Cahill dropped heavy hints that his future could lie away from Melbourne City when pressed further on whether he would look elsewhere in the absence of regular game time.

"It's something that I'll make sure that either way for me I'm always going to play. If I don't, I'll find a way to play," Cahill said.

"For me to have the chance of being involved in four World Cups needs a bit of thought processing.

"I need to play and I need to stay fit. I feel great even though I've got an ankle injury and that's something I'll look at in the next few weeks.

"To get to a World Cup you need to be playing at the highest level.

"My job was qualifying for the World Cup. My next job now is testing myself to see how competitive I can be if I want to get to another World Cup."