World Cup done and dusted. The body clock is back to normal, and I am weening myself off the increased doses of caffeine and late night vegemite toast.

Like many others I have been reflecting on what this World Cup has meant for Australian Football. The conclusion? The journey is just as important as the end result.

32 Nations fought long and hard for qualification and a chance to grace the fields of South Africa in the hope of snatching an elusive win, the chance to dream of taking the scalp of a Germany, Spain, Italy or Brazil. Socceroos fans around the country and the world dreamed of a repeat performance, and maybe, a better performance than last time, or maybe just a bit of Karma.

But, if I could take the liberty of getting all Les Murray-esque for just a moment, Football is not always a game that rewards hope or delivers justice. It is often a cruel master that punishes weakness and inadequacy as relentlessly as it deals out inexplicable results, undeserved victories and little reward for massive effort. Like life itself, the best and most gracious do not ways come out on top. A mirror to society, and a reminder that yes - life is hard. A team game, that requires a melding of minds beyond the 11 players on the field, the subs on the bench or the manager steering the tactics. And so many variables to throw off the best laid plans...vuvuzuelas, Jabulani, Pim Verbeek etc.

Cruel Master.....

So when there is imbalance, uncertainty, a chink in the armour, lack of resolve and just downright poor decision making, we get results like the one for the Australians against Germany at this World Cup. Football, however, like life, can also spring a surprise and turn of fortune like no other sport. As football fans we know this, and this tension is what addicts us to the game.

What the Australian general sporting public are also beginning to realise, though, is that as one tournament comes to a close, so many new opportunities arise for the game. The talking points are massive no matter what the results. New managers, Asian cup campaigns, a new set of qualifiers to play, new young stars emerging, a new A-League season - these just scratch the surface of what we have to look forward to seeing and reading about. The implications of Australia as a respected world football nation, as we now undoubtedly are, mean that our football destiny is not tied up with making the second round of a tournament, or playing friendlies against England to a sell-out SCG. The exposure the game gets from being part of a massive world movement should sustain it in perpetuity.

Our destiny lies beyond this World Cup, and in fact it lies beyond any World Cup. It is tied in to the swelling tide of momentum that simply comes with being part of World Football..

So was I disappointed we did not make the round of 16? Yes. But this World Cup lacked the overwhelming urgency for success that lingered over Germany '06. It was not do or die for the game in Australia, because with every year that passes, with every event, it is becoming clearer that we are mixing comfortably into the company of other nations who love the game.

So it eased the pain. We should enjoy the ride, and look forward to the next four year journey and all that it throws our way.

This article appears in Half Time Heroes World Cup Review Edition

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