Living and working in the US means Smyth is ideally placed to comment on the respective leagues. “It's not been around as long as the MLS but I'd say the standard is higher in the A-League. And there's certainly more enthusiasm for the game. Maybe if we were in a different place in Australia, although but if you look at the Newcastle, the Jets probably played the best football in the A-League and they're not here on grand final day. But I guess there are a few teams that are struggling, which they'll have to address.

“If you look at MLS, the problem they had is that the big teams are struggling. New York has never got to an MLS final. Here you have Sydney in season one, now it's Melbourne, so you've had the two big Aussie cities in the grand final. But you didn't end up with two of the smaller teams in it, which probably mightn't be that beneficial to the game if that had happened. But the way it's worked out [with Victory and Adelaide] it's been perfect.”

And Smyth pays Kevin Muscat the ultimate compliment. “Kevin Muscat for me is one of the toughest players who's ever played the game. I have nothing against toughness. There's five people I wouldn't want to play against. Franco Baresi, Danny Blint, Nobby Styles, Roy Keane and Kevin Muscat. Kosmina is exactly the same. He's abrupt he's abrasive, he rubs people up the wrong way. But he gives as good as he gets.”

The Irishman's advice to the A-League is to bring back the big Aussie stars before they're too old. “The league has to build on the success of the Socceroos at the World Cup. So you have to get Kewell, Viduka, Cahill and the like back here playing. They don't have to be in their prime but it's important they don't come back as old men. And when their footballing days are over it's important they be involved. It's no use Kewell coming back for a few years then going to live on an island and living on his money.

“I think you have to see the influence of these guys in the game over the years. Obviously not all will become managers but whatever money should be used for that. And these guys who've come back, the likes of Muscat have proven themselves back here.

“The Socceroos didn't surprise me after what they did with Uruguay. I believe. They weren't one of those cinderella teams. The Socceroos were actually unlucky against Italy. One kick of the ball... had they not given up that penalty and Italy not scored. Australia were a likeable team. And the very fact they have premier league stars and players from Serie A draws fans to them and there's a fun element of being in the stands with the Socceroos fans like the fans of the Republic of Ireland.”