How relieved were you when Harry Kewell got the goal to send Australia through after your mistake? Was it fair enough when Schwarzer was reinstated for the next game against Italy?
Jayden Polglaze, Whyalla
I should never have played against Croatia anyway as I was carrying a back injury. I've never come out and said this before, but I had an injury and I could hardly bend over. It was the World Cup so I took a load of injections to play, but I should never have played. For the following game against Italy I couldn't even walk. Harry's goal was a saviour and you're relieved that your mate has got yourself out of a bit of strife.

In that Socceroos friendly against Paraguay in 2006 where we said goodbye to Tony Popovic, Tony Vidmar, Stan Lazaridis and yourself, what did it feel like walking off the pitch in the final minute for Schwarzer? Would you have preferred to play the full game or did you enjoy the reception more?
Connor Quinlivan, Sale
I thought it was great. There is nothing better than playing in front of 50,000 Aussies in your own stadium and saying thank you for all that you've done for the green and gold and for football in the country. Schwarzer and I had that rivalry for so many years, who else was going to come on? When I decided to retire I walked into the hotel and I was with Poppa [Tony Popovic] as we always roomed together. I'd been there half an hour and I saw the changing of the guard. There were new staff, new management and new everything. I looked at Poppa and said, "This is the right decision". I've been lucky in my career that I've never regretted a decision.

What is the significance behind the number 18? I understand you always liked to wear it.
Joey Coates, Katoomba
With the national team it was my number from the beginning, so I just stuck to it. I never wanted the number one as number 18 was my number and I liked it. However, I was number one at Sydney United, a mate of mine had number 18 in Holland so I was number one at Roda, and at AC Milan I was number 16 as 18 had gone already. I quite liked the number 16 though as it was my date of birth. A lot of people think it is strange that a keeper wouldn't want the number one, but I preferred the 16 or 18.

Any plans on a comeback? You're only 37, still prime age for a keeper.
Dane Baird, Cronulla
No. I've played in the first team since I was 16. I played 21 and a half years at the highest level and enough was enough. It is better to go out with people remembering how good you were than making a fool of yourself.

I remember you saying after your football retirement you were going to grow a beer belly. How is that going? Is
it large enough to hold a freestanding schooner yet?
Eddie Chi, Blakehurst
[Laughs] Not yet, but I haven't done anything since I retired. It is still quite flat, but I'm working on it. She's just not coming up at the moment.

How much do you gamble a week?
John Burney, Maroubra
I gamble every day, it just depends on what. I can start to gamble on football now too as I've retired. I've got four horses which is brilliant and I race horses with Craig Moore, Scott Chipperfield, Tony Popovic and Tony Vidmar - it is a good way to keep us together. We've got a really good horse called 'Buffering' and another good one called 'Hummer', who has won around $350,000 in prize money for us. From those winnings we bought 'Buffering' for $22,000 and we've won $340,000 from the first five starts.

Where did the nickname 'Spider' come from? If you were a spider, which species would you be?
Olivia Pyke, Tully
Graham Arnold gave me the nickname when I was 14 years old. When they used to shoot and I'd make a save, they'd all say, "F**king hell, how did this Spider save that, there's nothing of him he's just arms and legs". I'd probably be a harmless species of spider, much like a Daddy longlegs.

Where's the best cevapi [a Balkan minced beef dish] in Australia?
James Hughes, Wollongong
It would be a Grand Final between the Balkan on Oxford Street and The King Tomislav Club at Edensor Park.

As an NSL star, do you think that old 'soccer' fans have been alienated by the shiny, new marketable A-League? Andrej Fumic, St Johns Park
Yeah, I do. That is something I've spoken about quite openly since I've been here. The A-League is good, they have taken away the ethnic side, but that ethnic side was brilliant. A Sydney Olympic versus Sydney Croatia derby, or Marconi against Sydney Croatia were unbeatable. Crowds were 14-15,000 at those small stadiums and it was brilliant. The NSL days were brilliant, the problem was the financial side. The matches and supporters were great though.

Would you like to have any input in the Socceroos as a goalkeeper coach or with any of the A-League squads in the future?
Joel Holmes, Wamberal
I'd like to do something. The people from outside want you to give a helping hand, but the people that are already in there are scared you're going to take their job. The input should be there to improve the game and we need people who have had an impact on the game with a lot of knowledge. I have a lot of great ideas, it is about someone wanting to sit down and listen.

This article appeared in the August issue of FourFourTwo magazine. To buy back copies of this issue call 03-8317-8121 with a credit card to hand.