The first thing Pim Verbeek told his players when the Socceroos reassembled in Sydney this week was an almost impossible ask – forget about the World Cup finals and focus on Bahrain.

Forget about the holy grail?

Forget about one thing that has driven them on since Francesco Totti consigned them to an unjust death from the penalty spot in Kaiserslautern three years ago?

Being the consummate professionals they are – rugby league players might note they drank non-alcoholic champagne on their “victory” flight home from Qatar – one or two of them might even have come close.

But the delicious prospect of an unprecedented second successive World Cup must surely have lingered in the back of their minds.

It will certainly dominate their consciousness for the next year.

The current Socceroos are hungrier than ever to feast at the World Cup banquet, now that many of them have had a taste of the entrees.

They might not get to the pudding in South Africa next year, but they want more than just a taste of the main course they got in Germany in 2006.

Their goal is the quarter-finals, no less.

They are determined to go one better than Guus Hiddink’s outfit, which reached the round of 16 in Germany and threatened to turn the game upside down with a dizzying display against Italy until Fabio Grosso’s dive and Totti’s penalty cruelly snatched the entire banquet – roast duck, champagne goblets and all – from before their very eyes.

As a consequence, hunger is not in short supply in the Socceroo camp.

“The unusual circumstances of our exit left us all wanting to go back for more,” said captain Lucas Neill, whose appetite is such that he deliberately fouled himself out of Wednesday’s Bahrain match in Sydney to wipe his disciplinary slate clean ahead of next Wednesday’s final qualifier against Japan in Melbourne.

Neill has special motivation – he was Grosso’s diving board in Kaiserslautern, and he took it hard, very hard indeed.

“That’s what has been driving this squad on,” Neill said.

“We are very focused.”

It was this determination, individually and collectively, that made Verbeek feel sure he had backed a winner after taking on the Socceroo job 18 months ago at a meeting in a Singapore hotel with Football Federation Australia (FFA) boss Frank Lowy.

“From the first minute I was here,” Verbeek said this week, “you could feel there was only one thing they wanted to do – go back to the World Cup.

“I never regret for one second signing for Australia.

“The support we have received has been outstanding.

“Now we all have the same target – to do better than in 2006.

“I don’t say we are going to, but that is our target.

“I think the boys will be ready.”

One thing is for sure – they won’t be short of preparation.

The Socceroos already have slotted in an away friendly against Ireland in August and a home friendly against Holland in October.

There are sure to be more as other World Cup finalists emerge.

There will also be a send-off game on Australian soil next May, just as there was last time when 96,000 fans watched Australia beat then European champions Greece 1-0 at the MCG.

In between, there are four Asian Cup qualifiers in October, November, January and March.

What style of play they take to South Africa is the big talking point at the moment.

The Socceroos have reached South Africa by being their nation’s best prepared team ever; the learning curve still arcs steeply upwards.

But the words used to describe them and their campaign sound distinctly un-Australian.

Lowy used “deliberate”, “professional” and “well-planned”.

Neill opted for “clinical”.

There’s no argument from anyone, but some fans are asking what happened to adventurous, attacking, lairy and flairy.

No-one is saying this team can’t be exciting, but its foundation is giving nothing away.

They have not conceded a goal in seven qualifiers, a feat which has given great pride to goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and his defenders.

And the days of coconut bags full of goals against Pacific easybeats are, thankfully, long gone.

Verbeek is already investigating high altitude training camps in preparation for South Africa.

Australia’s back room staff are keen to capitalise on the precious months they have up their sleeves.

Last time the Socceroos were the 32nd and final nation to qualify; this time they are among the first.

They will not know who their first round opponents will be until the World Cup draw in Johannesburg on December 4.

There is always a “group of death”, and Australia will be keen to avoid it.

But will they get an easier or tougher draw than last time, when they were pitted against Brazil, Croatia and Japan, and still managed to survive?

The prospects are tantalising.

Might they come up against their oldest sporting foe, mother England?

Or maybe Italy? What a revenge match that would be.

Brazil again? Let’s hope not.

Or what about Russia, coached now by the man who took them so far in Germany, Guus Hiddink?

© AAP 2012

Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.