South Africa 2010 according to Tunna

World Cup Dreaming
06/12/09

I had a dream on Tuesday night. I dreamt I was watching the World Cup draw with a mate, on the edge of our seats as none other than Paul Wade was about to decide our fate by plucking a ball out of what seemed an oversized wine glass, or what FIFA call ‘pots’. Exact events are a little sketchy but I do remember the crux of the dream. Wadey, flanked by Sepp Blatter drew the Socceroos in the same group as England.

It was one of those vivid dreams where you wake up and before you’re able to get your bearings think what you actually dreamt was in fact true. We got England! Yes, you beauty! This will be immense, I thought.

Finally, the conscience mind awoke and it was during that stumble from the bed to the bathroom that I realised it was Wednesday morning and the most anticipated event in December (Forget Christmas) was still three sleeps away.

I went through the rest of the week in the hope that my dream would come true. Re-counting the dream to non Football aficionados at work meant that I was looked upon like some sort of freak, but I stood by the notion that it was all still remotely possible.

Fast forward to the wee hours of Saturday morning and Wadey was no where to be seen. FIFA somehow forgot to send him an invite. Instead, he was replaced by Hollywood starlet Chalize Theron, David Beckham, and notable South African sporting identities. Once we were over the pomp and the extended advertising of South Africa as the hottest travel destination on the continent, we were ready to witness the first round fate of each of the 32 participating nations.

You can imagine my sadness when the United States were drawn from our pot alongside the already seeded England. The personal build up and nervousness before the draw amounted to nothing in the end. Then it came, from pot 2, a ball containing the name of our nation was plucked from the Royal Doulton super-sized wine glass and placed alongside the seeded team in Group D. Germany! We were then followed by Serbia and Ghana as the other countries in the group.

The draw has received mixed reactions. Football pundits at home and abroad are divided on what the future holds for Australia once the World Cup kicks off. .Green & Gold Army’s own John Kosmina says that the seedings made sure that we’d get a superpower and what’s more important is that we again get to witness our country on the worlds biggest stage with the weight of 22 million behind it. ESPN analysts Andrew Orsatti, Shaka Hislop, and Frank Lebouef predict the other three nations being too strong and have all selected the Socceroos to finish amongst the bottom two in the group, thus missing out on the knock out stage. Fox Sports commentator Robbie Slater says that he welcomes the opinions of those who are writing us off as it will bring out the best in us and make us rise to another level, while SBS chief Football analyst Craig Foster gave his usual realistic synopsis declaring that it would be ‘difficult’ at the very least.

Pim Verbeek describes ours as the second toughest group. If he was unhappy in any way with the draw, he certainly wasn’t showing it afterwards. He comes across as coy and quite confident in our chances of progressing. One thing however is for certain. Unlike our opening game in 2006 where we played the weakest side in the group, this time we will be coming up against the strongest which means that preparation both physically and mentally are the key. Michael Ballack, Lucas Podolski and Miroslav Klose are a different kettle of fish compared with Shinji Nakamura and Hidetoshi Nakata. But in Lucas, Schwarzer and Moorey we trust!

Serbia and Ghana pose further problems but ones that aren’t impossible to overcome. Both sides play a technical brand of Football which has been the Achilles heel of Verbeeks team who prefer teams that play a more direct style of game. Serbian defenders like Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea are world class and will thwart our attacks. Dejan Stankovic is in the prime of his career and has been in superb form in Serie A with Inter.

Ghana on the other hand will be led by Chelsea midfield maestro Michael Essien and complimented by Inter Milan’s Sulley Muntari. Add Essien’s team mate Kalou, and Toure of Arsenal and there is enough firepower to run fear through those most confident.

The draw excites me. All four teams in Group D bring and element of difference to one other which sets up a grand contest in the group games.

Not dissimilar to that magical night in Stuttgart against Croatia in ’06, I have a sneaking suspicion that we will again pull a rabbit out of the hat in our final group game against Serbia on June 24 and qualify for the second round. Cue Harry to once again jump of joy as a sea of thousands green and gold supporters in the stands of Nelspruit and millions of Australians back home go into ecstasy.

Germany will top the group, England will cruise through to set up a monumental clash with the Socceroos in the round of 16. Stumbling from the bed to the bathroom in Johannesburg the morning after the Serbia match next June, I hope to awake with a smile in the knowledge that dreams eventually do come true.