The Fever Gets Stronger

The patient’s condition is not improving. Symptoms include a rash of green and gold, the mercury cracking the thermometer and a puzzling delirium as Adelaide’s quality paper suggests today that Australia might win the world cup.

As a draw with Croatia sets up a knock out match with the Italians, the land Down Under is turning upside down. Work that out.

Once again, I understand that the wave of emptiness and frustration sweeping through England and this house after the Ecuador game must dwarf the euphoria here, and my apologies for labouring this point. But this is a journey into the unknown for the Socceroos, and all the more engaging for that.

So please bear with me, the world cup experience here is an innocent journey of joy and discovery, but also one with fascinating cultural ripples, as Australia’s ethnic fault lines start to widen.

Just in case you weren’t aware of the mix here, please allow me to give you a quick run down, it might explain the footy context.

South Australia was officially settled by the British in 1836, for you trivia types, the only state not born as a penal colony. This followed some failed settlements by whalers and a few close scrapes with prospective Napoleonic colonists, which left many places with French names. Apparently the little chap was very keen to acquire Josephine some pet kangaroos.

When it comes to romance, the French have always been streets ahead!

Not long after this colony was proclaimed a part of the empire, a wurst of Germans arrived, fleeing religious persecution. Among several other notable achievements, these Germans founded the wine industry that this page is so fond of and the state is so proud of. Their wines, surnames and sausages remain a highly visible part of South Aussie life.

As the years passed by, along with all the Brits, other notable ingredients in the pot have included more than a few Serbs, Croats and Greeks alongside enough Italians to support a thriving hair lacquer industry. We happen to live in Adelaide’s ‘Little Italy’ and a great place it is too. Norwood is a wonderful suburb for coffee and cakes as well as sharp clothes, strong aftershave, loud cars and oppressive testosterone.

This mix is replicated around Australia, along with several dozen other nationalities of slightly less significance to the world cup.

Despite all these Mediterranean influences, Australia’s sporting heritage has not included soccer, with cricket, rugby and their own version of football being the predominant team sports. All of which means that there has never been a high profile sporting clash to relish between the southern European teams and Australia. Until now.

The performance against Croatia both animated and fascinated a nation which was a little surprised by the huge Croatian support. Usually this country takes on the world as one. Now we have all sorts of allegiances showing their true colours.

The result was the biggest in Australian soccer’s history, the party unrestrained and the optimism has now bordered on the delusional, as demonstrated by the local press speculating on an Aussie victory in Germany.

We know the delusions are becoming serious as the Prime Minister has been pictured celebrating Harry Kewell’s goal in an unflattering tracksuit, looking like Yoda with a spider in his shoe. Even more hot air was blown into the balloon as the South Australian Premier has launched his own bid to host the World Cup in 2018 at a recent lunch which I attended, (see the circles I move in).

I think it was a bit of a snap announcement on his part, it was certainly a surprise to the audience who were expecting to hear about the prospects for the mining industry. In an effort not to appear as if he is sailing this ship alone, he has been drumming up support from his fellow politicians. Most of them think it is a curious idea while those that do back him have already started fighting over whether the final should be in Melbourne or Sydney, a familiar sporting squabble over here.

Anyway, this enthusiasm is only set to increase as the next game is against Italy. And if the Croatia game was big, this one is going to be massive. But the biggest of all, the one they all want, is a game against England.

It is hard not to get carried away with the Socceroos’ progress, particularly with England promising another dismal and frustrating tournament exit.

However, after watching them beat everyone at pretty much every sport they turn their hands to, I don’t think I could bear them doing too well here. It would be just too much. Mandy on the other hand has green and gold blood.

Have a good week
M&W