When it comes to sport I’m a meat and potatoes man. I like my AFL (Aussie Rules) and I like my cricket and that’s about it. I’ll always support Australia in any sport they’re in, but I’d rather watch the Blues or the Aussie cricket team anyday.

Anyway the point of all this is I LOATHE soccer. A month or so ago I told my co-workers and some of my mates that I wouldn’t watch the World Cup coz it was on too late and soccer (AKA football) was a boring, stupid game.

And then, that little patriot inside my head, (I like to call him Mr Jingo) compelled me to turn on the TV one Monday night and there I was watching Japan v Australia. Except I was really surfing the web with the game on the in background. And when Japan scored I decided, bugger this I’d rather go to bed, except…

… anyway, the next morning all hyped on the buzz of Australia winning I decided that I actually quite liked this game of soccer and in the following weeks my passion for the game grew until it reached a fever pitch (har de har) and last night and I watched Australia v Italy with sweaty palms, barely able to breathe, my heart-rate soaring and my eyes glued, FUCKING STUCK, to that TV monitor. Surf the web? I don’t think so.

And for 94 minutes I lived in hope…

HA! Hope!

With less than six seconds to go Italy get a penalty that wasn’t there, they score a goal and I just sit there and gape at the screen and try and figure out why I’m watching this stupid game. I then mentally take Mr Jingo outside and flog him. How dare he make me love soccer, how dare he make me hope, how dare he make me expect the impossible.

So it’s back to footy and cricket for me.

But one last one word from Mrt Jingo:

Socceroos I’m proud of you! At the end of the day you did more than I ever thought possible. And Lucas Neil, you, my man, are a champion. Forget about the penalty… just get us back into the World Cup and take us to victory!!!!!!

Now hurry up The Ashes, I need to drown my sorrows in some Pommy thrashing!!!!