I think the world soccer establishment might have gotten their collective noses out of joint because the Aussie "interlopers" had the gall to not only qualify, but do surprisingly well, all things considered.
I'm not suggesting that we were treated unfairly or even unethically, but I was surprised and disappointed with the decision that allowed the Italy team to score the only goal and win. Notwithstanding, Congratulations to Italy!
Anyway, the result is that we are all justifiably proud of our team, and this attempt has really raised the profile of this little known game in Oz, and has raised Australia's profile in the eyes of the soccer world.
To any "Doubting Thomases" out there, (not mentioning any names, Biffy.....) we will be back next world cup, and we will use the next four years to learn from this experience and further improve our skills. It didn't take Oz alll that long to dominate in the world of cricket, so if history repeats itself (as it usually does) it won't be long before the rest of the soccer world sees us as a serious threat, and not just a fleeting novelty. Cheers, Terry.