Brett Emerton ready to make up for his 06 send-off

* Marco Monteverde in Johannesburg
* From: News Limited newspapers
* June 12, 2010 12:00AM

IT should have been one of the best nights of Brett Emerton's career.

An integral member of the first Socceroos side to qualify for the World Cup in 32 years, Emerton should have been celebrating with the rest of his teammates after a 2-2 draw with Croatia on June 22, 2006, in Stuttgart secured Australia a berth in the second round.

However, the midfelder has mixed emotions about that night four years ago.

Booked twice in the final 10 minutes by English referee Graham Poll, Emerton was sent off and subsequently missed Australia's 1-0 round of 16 loss to eventual champions Italy in Kaiserslautern.

The absence of both Emerton and the injured Harry Kewell might have proved the difference in a tight contest, ultimately decided by Francesco Totti's injury-time penalty, awarded for that Lucas Neill foul on Fabio Grosso.

Emerton has had four years to ponder on what might have been had he played, and is determined not to allow a calf problem prevent him from taking part in Australia's 2010 World Cup opener against Germany in Durban on Monday morning (AEST).

"Obviously the way the last World Cup ended for myself, getting sent off in the dying minutes against Croatia, is something which I regret," Emerton said.

"It's disappointing, but it's great to be back in the World Cup again and have another opportunity to go out there and play well, and achieve something hopefully great with this team."

The 31-year-old, who has spent the past seven seasons with English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers, has zoomed into selection calculations with strong performances on the training paddock this week.

Emerton hasn't played in any of Australia's three recent friendlies, with coach Pim Verbeek not willing to risk one of his most prized assets ahead of the clash with Germany.

Verbeek will have the final say on whether the man capped 72 times for Australia will start, but Emerton believes he's ready for 90 minutes of football.

"It's obviously not ideal preparations. I would have like to have been involved in all the training sessions, but in the last few days I've felt good," he said.

Emerton took objection to Germany coach Joachim Low's suggestion that the Socceroos would attempt to kill the game as a spectacle by defending grimly for 90 minutes in a bid to steal a point off the three-times world champions.

"I think we'll approach the game as we do any other. We want to stamp our authority on the game (and) play hopefully some entertaining football," he said.

"I don't think by any means we'll go there and kill the game - that's for sure.

"There's lots of experience within the team, we've been there and done it before. We're a team which has over the past few years ... made ourselves very hard to beat. We know each other's games very well, have a great understanding, and that makes us very hard to beat.

"Even when we don't play particularly well, we can still grind out results."

If Emerton does play from the opening whistle, Richard Garcia, who started in the friendlies against Denmark and the USA, will be the man to miss out.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/world-cup-2010/emerton-cant-forget-his-2006-send-off/story-fn4l5n4r-1225878628791