A young man's tyranny of distance.

Ever left a family member at the airport?

Copyright: Carl Valeri

Well, if you can judge a mood of its team by how relaxed it's players are Australia could be on to a good thing in the Asian Cup.


I spent a few minutes with Carl Valeri and family at Canberra airport yesterday as he waited fir his flight enroute to Singapore.


His Dad Walter, was trying to steal Carl's chips. Brother Matt was giving him heaps.


"Are you going to watch the games?"


"Very excited, can't wait," said his Dad.


"Nah," said Matt, "I've seen him before!"


"Been to watch him play in Italy?"


"No, one day I'd like to."


"What do you think of his achievements?"


Matt thought, as Walter knicked another chip.


"I still get a laugh of how we use to play Rugby League as kids. I use to dummy him every time, and I mean every time. There were only two of us playing but he fell for it every time."


With that Carl flicked a chip across the table. The smiles, the brotherly love alive and well.


But for Carl, a hint of life as a footballer.


About to join Viduka and Kewell, he acknowledged something beyond the glamour, the football.


Wiithin a few minutes he'd be again farewelling his closest family and girlfriend Suzi, as he headed off to Asia and later back to Italy for another year thousands of miles away.


He's twenty-two. From a warm, close Australian Italian family.



Again the tyranny of distance could be sensed across the table.