5 Sleeps until the World Cup campaign starts.

I'd never heard of the great Aussie saying of "5 sleeps..." when I grew up in England, but when it comes to football I've certainly adopted it.

Remember Iran,


the 2-2 game. It felt like a loss. It was the most disappointed I've been over any game loss, and that includes either playing as a kid, or adult, or watching my team Celtic lose in Cup Finals and many other important games.

I think it wasn't the fact that we didn't get to the World Cup, for me it was more the fact that the papers would be devoid of football news for another four years, and of course there would be no meaningful games in Australia for four years.

I know we had the National Soccer League, but you had to be dedicated, and I was, and you felt a bit like a criminal, no-one wanted to talk about your activities in fact most looked at you with some disdain.

So you can imagine that when the Socceroos start the World Cup campaign on Wednesday, quickly followed by a crucial away game in China next month, I'm satisfied.

Satisfied that football has arrived. We now have a great local league. Watching a game in prime time with big crowds, well that's all any football fan could want. And a National team playing meaningful games again and again.

And it all starts on Wednesday.

And the debate about the 39 players, Euro's v local, will Harry come? How good is Verbeek etc etc, well it's all good, and we've waited years to be able to pick up a paper in this country and read the discussion, no matter how trivial, about football and the Socceroos.

When the team comes out on Wednesday, I'll be a little bit happier, older, maybe wiser and will have one thought for the boys who lost the night we drew 2-2 with Iran.