In short, it’s taking one for the team
DO you have a favourite item of clothing?
One to which you’re so emotionally attached and dependent that no matter how threadbare you just can’t bring yourself to throw out?
I do. Unfortunately mine’s so old and tattered now that after more than a decade of outstanding service I’m going to have to finally send it off to that big laundry hamper in the sky.
But I’m just going to hold off until Wednesday night.
Not just because Thursday’s bin day, but because this particular item of clothing has one final outing to make, one more mission to complete — securing Australia’s place at next year’s World Cup in Russia.
I’m referring to my Socceroos boxer shorts. My lucky Socceroos boxer shorts. Usually I wouldn’t hang on to underwear for more than a few years, five tops. But this pair was special. I was wearing them on the edge of my seat in Kaiserslautern, Germany, that day back in 2006 when Tim Cahill announced our arrival back on the world stage in style after 32 years languishing in the beautiful game’s dirty washing pile. And I’ve worn them for all 143 games that Australia’s national team has played since that day, including two further World Cup appearances with a third tantalisingly close. Coincidence? I think not. But it’s going to be a big ask to get them through the second leg of this do-or-die affair against Honduras on Wednesday night. The elastic is more stretched than the home team’s midfield in the first leg on Saturday, with just as many holes in the back half.
Yet while I feel Australia has enough to get past Honduras over the course of the two legs without the help of my lucky jocks, I’m not prepared to take any chances — for any of our sakes.
But win or lose, it’ll be my own two legs that will miss them the most.
They’ve been the support behind my support of the Socceroos for the past 11 years, with more ups and downs and twists and turns over the journey than any pair of underwear should ever have to endure.
And not only have they stood the test of time as a superstitious lucky charm, but they’ve been as comfortable as I hope the passage will be through to Russia this week.
Go Socceroos.