Emerton's Aussies out to murder the Group of Death

BRETT EMERTON and his rugged Australians are ready to take a stranglehold on the Group of Death when they kick-off their Group D campaign at Durban’s spectacular Moses Mabhida Stadium on June 13.

The unfancied Aussies open their campaign against Germany in the Group D which also features Serbia – beaten last week by New Zealand – and Ghana, who have lost the talismanic Michael Essien through injury.

Germany, the group favourites ranked sixth in the world, beat Bosnia 3-1 last night but Australia, ranked 20^th, are beginning to see the light as Serbia (15^th) and Ghana (32nd) struggle before the tournament. Emerton says: “I think it’s looking good. Talent wise we have a good blend of youth and experience and we could go a long way in this World Cup.”

Serbia followed their shock defeat against the Kiwis (ranked 78) with a goalless draw against Poland last time out. Ghana, without Essien, were crushed 4-1 by Holland while the Aussies were seeing off the Danes 1-0 in Ruimsig near Johannesburg.

Australia were the first team to arrive at their training camp in Kloofsicht, Muldersdrift, about 45 minutes from Johannesburg last Thursday. While their rivals are still contemplating jet-lag and altitude problems, Pim Verbeek’s Socceroos have been here for a week and Emerton insists: “From what I have seen in camp and in training the boys are physically in good condition and everyone is excited about playing in a World Cup. We are all in together and will do everything we can to ensure that each and every one of us is in the best shape of our lives.”

It seems like just yesterday Emerton was an ambitious young Australian pushing to play at the top level in Europe. Today he is 31, and his aggression and energy have made him a vital cog for both Blackburn and the Socceroos, where his history stretches back 12 years and 72 caps.

As he homes in on the Aussie record of 87 appearances alongside goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer of Fulham, Emerton recalls his days as a youngster in Bankstown, Sydney, when the 1990 World Cup was of interest to a small migrant minority. He grins: “For me growing up I loved the World Cup. Since we Germany in 2006 (where they were only knocked out by a last-minute goal from eventual winners Italy) football in Australia has really gone on leaps and bounds. This time we could really push football in Australia on to another level.

“When I was growing up, the interest was nowhere near as much as it is now. We played Greece in a farewell game at the MCG and there were just under 100,000 fans there.”

The Aussies will be cheered on in Durban by a vast army of fans planning to camp in a tent city at Durban’s Kingsmead cricket ground.

The Aussies generally start rugby and cricket World Cups among the favourites while the Socceroos have always been the outsiders – they are ranked a distant 125-1 to bookmakers Paddy Power this time.

But Emerton believes they’re a good bet for 2010: “It’s different. A lot of us boys have been there and done it before and know what to expect and know what hard work needs to be done in order to achieve a good result over.

“Hopefully some of the more experienced players are using that to rub off on the younger boys and hopefully, if we all put in the hard work together we can achieve great things.”

Tim Cahill and Australia have something special to off the Group of Death

WORLD CUP fever isn’t limited to South Africa. Australia, who open their campaign at the magnificent Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban against Germany on June 13, are ready to “do something special” according to Tim Cahill.

Cahill, who missed out to South Africa’s Steven Pienaar in the battle to be Everton’s Player of the Season, said: "For the last World Cup the nation stopped and there hasn't been a bigger event since that. It’s massive.”

In a nation where Rugby League, Rugby Union and the paradoxically-named Aussie Rules vie with Association Football for winter attention, Cahill insists: “Soccer is where it should be, up there fighting with the best. It is an honour and a privilege to play for Australia, to fly the flag.

“I’m fit and part of a squad fighting to do something special for Australia. I have been waiting for this for a long time."

The Socceroos were once a rare sight in the World Cup Finals – but since they were allowed to avoid a final play-off as Oceania’s champions against Latin America’s fifth-best nation, they are heading for a second successive tournament as Asian qualifiers, having impressed in Germany four years ago.

The 30-year-old, who made his international debut for Samoa aged 14 after being born in Sydney to an English father and a Samoan mother, said: “As a team we have improved one hell of a lot. The Asian group has been so difficult, playing against teams like Japan, Qatar and Bahrain - it has been as hard as when we last played Brazil."

Not sure about that one Tim. Qatar and Bahrain as hard as Brazil? Given the Aussies have been drawn the ‘Group of Death” with Germany, Ghana and Serbia, a bit of hyperbole is understandable. The former Millwall striker, so good in the air despite standing just 5ft 10in high, is getting the jitters as the greatest footballing event in the universe draws near.

He said: "It’s weird. We’re finally there and the domestic season is over. To have the World Cup finally here is a great feeling. My first expectation would be to get through the group.

“After that, we saw in the last World Cup that anything can happen. It is a World Cup final every game you play, it is 90 minutes of football and whoever is better on the day wins. Everyone is starting at level par and for me the aim will be to get through the group and hopefully make a few surprises.

"The statistics show Germany are always there or thereabouts. We know how strong they are as a team, so for us it is about concentrating on our strengths and trying to break them down slowly. They are slow starters in most competitions they play so hopefully we can catch them cold.

"Ghana are dangerous, being one of the strongest teams in Africa and having the powerhouses of Michael Essien and Stephen Appiah and a few other Premier League players. And the dark horses would have to be Serbia, I think they are strong as well."

So Tim. Break them down slowly – and catch them cold. There’s a plan. He adds: “It has been really hard but the players have improved domestically playing for their clubs. They are doing better and a lot more boys are coming overseas.”

True, they’ve got quite a collection of players from around the world gathering to join Dutch boss Pim Verbeek’s Soccceroos. In a nation where Australia’s cricketers and rugby players are generally in the shake up for the other World Cups, goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), diminutive stiker Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough) and Blackburn’s Brett Emerton are among 11 British based players who intend to give the Germans a run for their money in their opening game in Durban.

With the veteran Harry Kewell carrying an injury as the former Liverpool star arrives to join up with the squad from Galatasary in Turkey, Australia will be hard-pushed to improve on their performance in 2006, when they narrowly missed out on the quarter-finals in a last-gasp defeat to eventual champions Italy.

But Cahill, who has scored 19 goals in 37 games since being allowed to play for Australia after his junior appearances for Samoa, insists: "Our experiences in Germany will definitely help. We get the chance now to do it again. We are more experienced and have more game time under our belt, so maybe we can do something special."