Well mine started at the age of 10, it’s 1973 and I am taken to watch Australia beat Iraq 3-1 and I am hooked ‘ I love this game’ further games are Indonesia 6-0 and NZ 3-3, then it’s the semi against Iran 3-0 and finally the final against South Korea the 1st leg finishes 0-0 I go home with tears, the away leg starts badly 0-2 down, but a come back sees it finish 2-2, there is no away goals so a replay is on , a packed house at home has us glued to the TV as Australia win 1-0 and qualify for the first time
1977 I nervously watch a come from behind win against NZ at the SCG, then it’s the final round and I watch Australia’s home defeat by Kuwait 1-2
1981 I can drive now but the Socceroos lose 0-2 at home to NZ and are out in the prelimary stage
1985 Frank Arok is now coaching and the improvement is there, NZ 2-0 in Sydney and on TV it’s Israel 2-1 away . Then it’s Scotland and the second leg in Melbourne is 0-0 and 0-2 on Aggregate
1989, after the Olympic Games where Australia reached the last 8 hopes were high, but a 1-1 at a packed Sydney Sports Ground against Israel has us out
1993 it’s NZ 3-0, then Canada 2-1 - a young Mark Schwarzer saves us in the penalty shoot out, then it’s Argentina and Mardona magic and Arnold and Slater misses see a 1-1 draw in Sydney - I am there with 12 mates
1997 the worst of the lot my house is packed and I will say no more
2001 I travel to Melbourne it’s looking ok a 1-0 win , but a below par performance and we miss out again
2005 - it dawns on me it’s been 32 years but it changes at the ANZ stadium with a pen shoot out win - Yes at last
2009 - we are in Asia and it’s too easy we top the group and qualify
2013 it boils down to Iraq in Sydney it’s a 1-0 win and we qualify
2017 the best qualification ever, the Sydney 5-1 win over Jordon has us qualify to the final group, in Adelaide for the 3-2 over Saudi Arabia
Watch on TV the loss to Japan, then the 2-1 over Thailand - stay up all night for Saudi v Japan - it’s a tight win for Saudi so its playoffs
Syria is tense with the extra time win and then the finale with the win over Honduros
It’s been a ride