More than 16 years after he fired Australia into the 2006 World Cup, John Aloisi is delighted Andrew Redmayne will join him as a penalty shootout hero.
Australia's most famous penalty shootout hero, John Aloisi, couldn't be happier to welcome Andrew Redmayne into an exclusive club.
Aloisi scoring the decisive spot kick against Uruguay in November 2005, whipping his shirt off and taking off on a wild sprint, after Mark Schwarzer's earlier dramatic saves, remains arguably the biggest moment in Australian football history.
But penalty shootout substitute Redmayne showing off his Wiggles-style dance moves, saving the decisive penalty from Peru's Alex Valera to send the Socceroos to Qatar, then turning in wide-mouthed wonder, has created another.
"There are moments where if you're a football follower or you just follow the national team that you recall and this is one of those moments," Aloisi told AAP.
"Everyone's going to remember Andrew Redmayne and his face when he saved the penalty.
"Was he in shock? Was he smiling? Was he laughing? Was he just in disbelief? It probably would have felt a bit surreal for him at that time.
"But that moment's going to be replayed for years to come."
Aloisi admitted he was "a little bit surprised" to see Redmayne substituted in for skipper Maty Ryan.
The switch brought back memories of Guus Hiddink preparing to substitute out Schwarzer for Zeljko Kalac on that night in Sydney back in 2005.
"The only reason why he didn't come in was Brett Emerton ended up going off with cramp and they they had to sub him off and that was it, we had no more subs left," Aloisi said.
Awer Mabil, who scored the go-ahead penalty, arrived in Australia the month Aloisi sent the Socceroos to Germany.
"We know the history of the golden generation," Mabil said.
"There was a feeling inside me that this moment was meant for us; to recreate that moment in 2005."
Somewhat prophetically, a Socceroos fan hung an Aloisi shirt over the railing in the shootout, before Redmayne denied Valera.
Aloisi coached Redmayne when they were a much-maligned coach and goalkeeper at ill-fated Melbourne Heart.
He delighted in Redmayne's transformation from a young 'keeper who in facing 10 penalties at Heart, "didn't save one", to shootout hero.
"He's dealt with criticism in the past and he's always remained very humble, worked really hard and waited for his moments and not only at club level, but now with the Socceroos," Aloisi said.
"It was a big moment for him, to be part of something so special.
"To qualify for a World Cup, especially when no one expected them to. But they had that belief within themselves, within the group and they deserve to get there."
