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It is indeed “about bloody time” a footballer was honoured with a statue outside Allianz Stadium, as the late Johnny Warren was this weekend.
Warren was a legendary player for the Socceroos and a vocal advocate for football during his long media career, so it’s only right that a figure who did so much for the game was unveiled as the first footballer to be immortalised by the SCG Trust.
Warren long wished to see the Socceroos make a mark in Asia, and as the reigning Asian Cup champions, it’s safe to say Ange Postecoglou’s team would have fulfilled that wish.
But having conquered Asia on home soil, is there a danger the Australian public might have grown weary of watching the Socceroos go around?
It’s a timely question to ask, given that the Socceroos run out against Jordan in Sydney tomorrow in what is shaping as an important World Cup qualifier.
The Socceroos can top their group in advancing to the third round of Asian qualifying, against a Jordanian team which has already inflicted a 2-0 defeat in the reverse fixture in Amman.
That loss represents the only dropped points of the campaign for Postecoglou and his men, who will be eager for revenge against a side that recently drafted in Harry Redknapp as manager for the final two games of this qualifying round.
Whether Redknapp can inspire the 82-ranked Jordan to another boilover victory remains to be seen, but plenty of pundits will have at least one eye on the attendance figure.
Australia drew a respectable 35,000 to the Adelaide Oval on Thursday night, in a match in which striker Apostolos Giannou enjoyed an impressive debut in the green and gold.
Plenty of South Australian fans were disappointed that star man Tim Cahill failed to get on the park, although it’s understandable Postecoglou wanted to save Cahill’s legs for a tougher test on Tuesday.
While some fans were invariably hoping to see Cahill add to his 45 goals in Australian colours on an ordinary Adelaide pitch, they’ll have to wait until the Socceroos run out in more familiar surrounds in Sydney.
There was plenty of social media angst earlier this month when it was announced that Football Federation Australia had signed a long-term deal with the New South Wales government to play Socceroos and Matildas fixtures in Sydney for the next five years.
While cities like Perth and Adelaide both waited years to host meaningful internationals, the deal no doubt reflects the economic reality of hosting marquee matches, with Destination NSW willing and able to stump up the cash.
It’s all well and good to play internationals in Sydney – the Socceroos, after all, have a great record in the city – but will fans continue to turn out and support the team?
It’s been three years since the Socceroos last played at Allianz Stadium, when just over 20,000 fans turned out to see Cahill – who else? – score the only goal in Postecoglou’s international managerial debut in a 1-0 friendly win over Costa Rica.
Plenty has happened since, not least a historic Asian Cup win, however FFA officials are no doubt quietly pleased there are points on the line tomorrow night.
At $45 for the cheapest adult ticket behind the goals, watching the national team is never a cheap proposition – although it should be said these types of fixtures only come around every so often.
And with the Socceroos desperately needing home fans to recreate the sort of atmospheres which once rattled the likes of Uruguay and Argentina in Sydney, here’s hoping the stands are close to full.
With a couple of blockbuster friendlies against Greece coming up in June, there’s no danger of the Socceroos staying out of the limelight for long.
But in the meantime there are World Cup points to play for – and with any luck, a renewed appreciation for the national team.