The importance of Tim Cahill to a young Australian squad could see him playing all the way until the 2018 World Cup, according to former New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert.
Herbert, who guided the All Whites to an unbeaten campaign at South Africa 2010, said the value of the 35-year-old Shanghai Shenhua star goes beyond his record-breaking scoring feats for the reigning Asian champions.
Cahill has scored 39 goals in 82 matches since 2004 and is tipped to start in the Socceroos' opening World Cup qualifier in Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday night.
"Australia have a lot of young talent coming through and players like Tim can really help them reach their potential," Herbert told ESPN FC on a visit to Kuala Lumpur.
"Character is important and Tim is a positive influence around the group. He is still the pinnacle to the attack and can bring experience and confidence."
Former Wellington Phoenix boss Herbert is now head coach of Papua New Guinea, who are on a training tour of Malaysia in preparation for next month's Pacific Games on home soil.
During New Zealand's 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa -- where they earned creditable draws against Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay -- he lured veteran central defender Ivan Vicelich out of retirement and selected 36-year-old midfielder Simon Elliott, who was without a professional club. 32-year-old Ryan Nelsen was the All Whites' captain.
Herbert is a strong believer that the right mix of experience and youth in a well-balanced squad will bring positive results during the arduous process of World Cup qualifying. After coming through the Oceania zone, New Zealand won a play-off against Bahrain to book their World Cup finals' place.
"Even if someone else in the squad takes more of his playing time, Australia will look to maintain Tim (Cahill) physically so he can contribute as much as he can," he said.
"They may well keep him all the way to Russia."
Cahill, himself, has said that the 2018 World Cup is too far away to discuss at the moment.
Despite a trip into the unknown -- the Spartak Stadium in Bishkek is the venue for Australia's opening AFC second round qualifier in Group B -- Herbert expects coach Ange Postecoglou to stand by his attack-minded principles.
"Australia are probably more on the attacking than defensive side so if you are too cautious, it may not be the right option," Herbert said. "I would be expecting Ange to look at getting at these (opposition) teams early.
"Logistically they are in a tough group [Jordan, Tajikstan and Bangladesh are the other nations] but they are using Dubai as a base and coming off the Asian Cup win they're in a good space and feeling more comfortable than before. I see them winning the group and advancing to the next stage."
He says that he has the utmost respect for what coach Postecoglou -- a former rival from Herbert's six years coaching in the A-League -- has achieved since taking over as Socceroos' boss in October 2013.
"It's been quite a revolution," he said. "The results weren't favourable during a transitional period at the beginning but he was given time and it proved to be the right decision."
Herbert is one of a handful of people to have gone to a World Cup as a coach and a player for their birth nation. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers' defender appeared in all three matches in the 1982 World Cup in Spain where New Zealand lost to Scotland, the Soviet Union and Brazil.