Four years of regret drive Socceroos star Brett Emerton in South Africa


June 12, 2010

It should have been one of the best nights of Brett Emerton's career when Australia drew 2-2 with Croatia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup to secure passage to the second round.
However, the midfielder 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 champion Italy in Kaiserslautern.

Emerton has had four years to ponder on what might have been, and is determined a calf problem will not prevent him from taking part in Australia's World Cup opener against Germany in Durban on Monday (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 put in 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 before the Germany game.

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," he said.

"I would have liked to have been involved in all the training sessions, but in the last few days I've felt good."

Emerton took objection to Germany coach Joachim Loew'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-time world champion.

"I think we'll approach the game as we do any other," he said.

"We want to stamp our authority on the game (and) play hopefully some entertaining football."

If Emerton does play from the start, Richard Garcia will be the man to miss out.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27259771-5019291,00.html