Spiteri, now 36, formed a lethal partnership with Viduka scoring 31 goals between them during the 1994/5 NSL season. The duo were often dubbed "V-Bomber and Spitfire".

Spiteri, capped eight times for the Socceroos between 1994 and 1998 tells au.fourfourtwo.com about his time alongside the Socceroo target man and how their respective careers took different turns.

"We played as a two up front in a 4-4-2, out-scoring any partnership in the NSL. We were both young but we worked well with each other. He was a big strong boy who dragged defenders away, and back then I was tough and rugged.

"It pretty much worked as him the target man and me just working off him as he held it up and bamboozling defences."

The pair transferred their partnership into the national Olympic team at Atlanta 1996. And it was Spiteri's ball into Viduka's feet against the Saudis which lead to arguably one of the greatest ever national team goals

"I tried to cross the ball, it got blocked down so I did a bit of a shimmy and got around the guy and got the ball in to Mark and he's just given it that flick just behind his legs to give us a 2-1 lead."

Spiteri may be an unknown to most A-League fans but if the football gods had smiled on him, he may well have gone on and done as well as Viduka.

Just as the former Celtic and Leeds United man went overseas, Spiteri made the move - although with much less fanfare. Seven modest years in Europe with Stum Graz, Lierse and Norkopping were hampered by a bone breaking in his foot twice in oneyear.

His career momentum ground to a halt as Viduka began to make his name known at Croatia Zagreb then later Celtic.

"Who knows if that never happened?" Spiteri says of his career. "When you have that injury cloud on you, it started to go downhill from there. It could have been a lot better. Who knows what might have happened had those injuries not struck? But that's football."

Interestingly, Malta (the country of his heritage) came calling during his time abroad. But unlike John Hutchinson and Manny Muscat - recent international recruits to the Maltese cause - Spiteri gave the FA in Valletta short shrift.

"I had a Maltese passport. There was an opportunity when I turned 18 but the rules back then were such that you had to decide and when I was 18 I always was going to be Australian.

"But then as I was in Europe that law changed and I could be a dual citizen. And when that happened they did come a calling but I had already played a certain amount of games for Australia.

"From my point of view, I always was going to play for Australia, I only knew Australia. My heart lay with Australia..."

Spiteri missed the A-League boat (there was some talk of Melbourne Victory but at 32 it was never a serious option).

He now runs Soccer Pro Academy in Melbourne's Point Cook. He says life has turned out well for him despite not scaling the heights of Viduka.

"You think of what could've been but it could've been a lot worse," he says of his career.

So, does Spiteri believe his old strike partner should be picked for South Africa? He says yes, but stops short of saying Viduka should be an automatic first choice.

"He's just a class player. I don't see why he couldn't be involved in a certain way with the Australian team.

"I think he's got the ability to be an integral part of any side. It's up to Mark to perform and produce."