Australia are suddenly on the verge of qualifying for a second successive World Cup, but no-one is expecting any wild parties this time.
Part of the reason is that football has always struggled for mainstream recognition in Australia, but another part is that the Socceroos have become a victim of their own success.
Since ditching Oceania to join the Asian Football Confederation, Australia's progress to the World Cup has been all smooth sailing.
That match drew a full-house of 80,000 fans at Sydney's Olympic stadium and was watched by millions more on television while Saturday's game in Doha will be in the middle of the night Australian time.
"It will be just as satisfying this time around," he told the Australian Associated Press at a training camp in Dubai.
"Playing in a World Cup, it's just the ultimate thing you can do as a player." Australia midfielder Tim Cahill said he was frustrated by the lack of recognition given to the team for their performances.
"That's the thing I can't understand," Cahill said.
"The expectation level always rises, and we want it to, but we also want focus on the positives.
"I've not read anything positive about the manager, or really anything positive about the players and the team and although, to an extent, we haven't spanked teams ... the situation we're in is a huge positive.
"As a player, I find it fickle to hear (the criticism), going from never qualifying for the World Cup to qualifying for two in a row."
