Is there any greater high on this earth than to see your team score after 28 seconds and again four minutes later ?
To be 3-0 up at half-time and then 4-0 at the final whistle is a scenario all football fans fantasise about, but when it comes on the back of a crushing defeat in the previous week it is unbelievably satisfying. You can try getting this high elsewhere but no substance exists that can match the unexpected thrills of football, intensified by sharing the moment with your team and other fans.
And at Bluetongue, a stadium as intimate and beautifully located as any in the world, this is truly football heaven, a place where all that is positive about football is still alive and well. Local boys shine on and off the pitch, the crowd gives a rousing reception to a disabled football team in their half-time lap of honour and the Mariners goalfest results in a $5000 windfall for a small soccer club.
Sounds corny but really, doesn't it make you proud to be an Australian football fan ?
Perhaps this was the story we should have been telling the world rather than relying on vacant supermodels and clichéd cartoon kangaroos. It's the story of youngsters like Mustafa Amini, David Williams and Kofi Danning, the diversity of their backgrounds such a powerful testament to Australia's unique society and all it has to offer the world.
It's a story of immigrants past, present and future who brought their love of football to this country and the thousands of grassroots supporters, volunteers and players whose passion for the game has sustained it through many highs and lows. Such people are the lifeblood of the game in Australia and they are everywhere in evidence at A-League matches right around the country.
Gosford is a world away from the machinations of FIFA and in light of our painful and humiliating treatment this week by football's governing body, we should all be thankful for it. I felt battered and bruised from "playing with the big boys" in Zurich and it was a huge relief to retreat to the comfort zone of the A-League where decisions and results are not all linked to the mighty dollar.
Unlike many bigger leagues, the A-League remains unpredictable and accessible despite the challenges it faces. We were crushed last week but this week it was our turn to come out firing in a display so classy that Sydney were totally outplayed. It was almost a total reversal of the Roar match even down to the own goal in the second half.
The entire team was outstanding but Simon and Kwassie in particular formed a demolition duo so potent it left me wondering if McBreen will be sitting on the bench next week. Don't get me wrong, McBreen is a fantastic player but Kwasaldinho has a fire in his belly that leaves defenders for dead. Every time he gets anywhere near the ball you can almost smell the adrenaline and his audacity drives fans wild with excitement. As for little Musty, he was simply sensational and should give Perez a run for his money as the season pans out.
But the best thing about this victory is that it surely shows the strength of character the current squad has as well as the sublime football they are capable of unleashing. Our nearest rivals need to beware of our capacity to bounce back and stun our opponents into submission when they least expect it. With three games in hand on Roar and Ange's boys showing signs of vulnerability against Victory, anything can happen in the weeks ahead.
To watch my team play so well and achieve such a fantastic result helped ease the crushing pain of losing the WC Bid. I left Bluetongue feeling reinvigorated and so happy for the players and Arnie who has worked so hard to prove The Mariners can play beautiful football.
So thank you to The Mariners and all you stand for : I have never felt prouder to wear your colours. Win or lose, there is an integrity and community connection at this club that is truly admirable. And thank you to Frank Lowy for putting your heart and soul into winning football's biggest prize for Australia. You were betrayed and misled but we salute your courage and effort. Perhaps, like the Socceroos at the 2006 World Cup, you were defeated by your own trust and commitment to Fair Play.
As Lucas Neill once said, to win by dishonest means is not the Australian way. Like the Mariners, Australian football will bounce back and show the world what it does best : produce great footballers who are renowned the world over for their work ethic and team spirit, passionate fans who support their teams through thick and thin and above all, a vibrant and inclusive football culture where men, women and children of all backgrounds are warmly embraced and valued.
Sadly, it is a world the residents of Qatar can only dream about.
