When Andrew Redmayne’s penalty save against Peru sent Australia to a fifth successive World Cup, he reminded a generation of fans of just how much we love the Socceroos.
Redmayne’s shoot-out heroics came at the start of a momentous week for the Socceroos.
Just three days after the Aussies booked their spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the men’s national team celebrated the 100th anniversary of their first-ever game against New Zealand at Carisbrook in Dunedin way back on June 17, 1922.
That squad featured eight players each from Queensland and New South Wales – those being the two states that stumped up the cash for the 14-game tour of New Zealand, which including three official ‘Tests’ against the Kiwis.
And according to authors Nick Guoth and Trevor Thompson, who recently released Burning Ambition: The Centenary of Australia-New Zealand Football Ashes through Fair Play Publishing, the team wore light blue shirts with maroon trimming to represent the colours of those two states.
The current generation of Socceroos are drawn from considerably farther afield.
Indeed, it’s the fact the Socceroos have long been such a diverse group of players that leads many to believe they’re the most visible representation of a modern, multicultural Australia.
There were some suggestions in the mainstream media that Redmayne himself was ‘an unknown’ before being substituted on to become Australia’s hero in Doha, but of course the Sydney FC shot-stopper has been one of the most effective goalkeepers in the A-League Men ever since joining the Sky Blues.
(Photo by Mohamed Farag/Getty Images)
A few mainstream journalists even questioned the sportsmanship of Redmayne throwing Peruvian goalkeeper Pedro Gallese’s penalty notes over the advertising boards, which is the sort of tactic South American teams have been getting away with for decades.
Here’s the thing about those sort of editorials: I honestly don’t know what they said, because I never bother reading them. That’s always been an option.
Most of us prefer to source our journalism from those who tune into a game more than once every four years, so Redmayne’s heroics – as surprised as many of us were to see him enter the fray – came as no huge shock from a goalkeeper who performed similar feats to help Sydney FC win the 2019 grand final.
Redmayne, just like the man he replaced in Mat Ryan, comes from a humble background and it’s remarkable to note just how down to earth most of these Socceroos players are.
You wouldn’t have picked it judging by the penalties, with Aaron Mooy, Craig Goodwin, Ajdin Hrustic, Jamie Maclaren and Awer Mabil all converting their spot-kicks with astonishing confidence.
Even Martin Boyle’s shoot-out opener wasn’t the worst spot-kick you’ve ever seen – although it was, as they say, ‘a good height for the goalkeeper’ – and the winger with the thick Scottish accent made up for the miss by seemingly partying harder than every one of his Socceroos teammates.
Not only was Boyle spotted wearing his full kit in the pool in the post-match celebrations, he then tweeted a photo of himself in, shall we say, ‘recovery mode’ in his darkened hotel room.
But perhaps the most moving sight in the entire penalty shoot-out came from watching Awer Mabil stroll to the spot.
Born in a Kenyan refugee camp to South Sudanese parents, Mabil grew up in South Australia and started his professional career in the A-League with Adelaide United.
He’s now won almost 30 caps for the Socceroos and it showed in sudden-death, as he simply ignored Pedro Gallese’s time-wasting tactics and sent him the wrong way from the spot.
After Redmayne saved Alex Valera’s subsequent penalty, Mabil slumped to the ground in tears behind the goal.
He later told journalists he “knew he was going to score” because “it was the only way to thank Australia” for taking his family in as refugees.
But it’s us who should be thanking Awer.
It’s never mattered to Socceroos fans where you were born. Once you pull on the green and gold, you’ll always be one of our own.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
A few of our better players weren't playing. Trialling a few youngsters who may or may not be up to playing at this level.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
Matildas lost 0-7 to Spain yesterday. Why this Tony Gustavsson is still in charge? He should have been sacked after the Asian Cup.
chris
Guest
Best just to ignore Pip/Mr Football/And all the other aliases he's had on here
chris
Guest
Yes get ready for some really cringe worthy moments.
chris
Guest
Punter you are spot on. Yes it was in the media, but at the pubs and cafes etc. no one thought it was a big deal. We discuss SOO and league and the football here. Qualifying for another WC etc etc. If you live in Sydney you'd know what we are saying is true. It'd be like telling Melbourne people that Billy Slater is second only to Ken Irvine in tries scores. For the Melbourne folk, Billy Slater used to play for the Storm which is your league team down there.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Oh no worries, the scenes were amazing, it was front page of every newspaper, all the media, but the talk afterwards was not huge in the community, pubs, cafes, clubs, work etc.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
I don’t know, that Buddy 1000 goal moment was pretty epic. That was a rare scene that you just don’t see in any sport today, and probably never will again. It was on the front page of every paper in Sydney the next day. The fact you even mentioned it reinforces the moment further. As a sports lover, you must have appreciated how awesome it was, despite having no interest in the AFL.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Like I said you learn something new everyday. Had a lovely holiday in Northern Territory last month, lovely part of the world, surprised how much they into AFL. Advertisement everywhere, TV in pubs & clubs all had the footy on, those funny 4 post with no crossbars, on all the ovals kids hand balling the footy past shoppers in shopping centres. You just don't see that in Sydney, very rare those 4 posts with no crossbars. More people talking about the Grey wiggle then Big Buddy's 1000th goal in the pubs & cafes in Sydney.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Read what I said again. You might want to check out my alias picture too. That's my daughter.
Punter
Roar Rookie
'Everyone on this tab' now are you sure everyone?
Punter
Roar Rookie
Daughters playing AFL in Sydney. Well I learn something new everyday.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Agreed. Look at the 18 months we have ahead of us. A Women's World Cup, the Men's Asian Cup, we have a real opportunity to consolidate and build. Hopefully JJ and DT can make the most of it.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
I have no idea what you are talking about, do you mean Aussie Rules?
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Seems a puzzling decision. Probably would have been better off doing the Western Suburbs Magpies.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Great way to put it. AFL will do that, but hey I might be wrong. My guess is that with the Women's World Cup next year, the AFL will do anything to leverage a buck out of it.
Lazza
Roar Rookie
Stick to boasting about and taking pride in being a sporting backwater. That's what AFL and NRL fans do best. I'm proud no one follows my sport including half my own country. I'm so proud no one around the world knows anything about Australian Football, our clubs, history, players or anything. Most of all I'm proud of AFL and NRL players who stay home and play with themselves. Lots to be proud of there. Try and be humble about it.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
I would say Netball is in trouble because for some reason they decided to put in new teams to help promote AFL like the GWS giants instead of promoting themselves.
Maximus Insight
Guest
Yup. Hence the bitterness I suspect!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Times have changed because you had Lowy in charge who had ten times the brain of the current mob having the A-league jersey manafactured by the same company in a league wide deal was good for getting it into stores in the lower end of the market like K-mart where they had cheaper options like polo necks and tshirts. I assume this applies to netball and Wbbl . All the clubs have done over the years is find excuses like combine jersey deal, the combined sponsorship deal, once Lowy was gone they couldn't even agree on a cheap radio campaign. The truth is they couldn;t do it better than Lowy, now they are going to have to spend massive wads of money unlike Lowy to get themselves back.
AJ73
Roar Rookie
They pay that money because they know it rates highly. The A-League doesn't for whatever reason. If it did, more would be paid for it. Football has failed for years to make itself more popular with the media on a more regular basis outside WC and Asian Cups. This is despite having about double the number of registered players in the country than the other football codes. Why is that? Media aren't going to report on something or televise something that isn't bringing in the eyeballs. It has to come down to the A-League product for whatever reason. It is not football in general, otherwise why would the games against the European clubs draw big crowds, why do people talk about the EPL, etc.? AFL & NRL bring in the money from the advertisers to the FTA & subscription TV because they know people will watch it. Maybe it is because they are the highest levels of the game, compared to the A-League which, let's face it, is no where neat the top league.