THE TRIUMPHS

The clearest early memory I have of watching the Socceroos was the famous John Aloisi penalty game against Uruguay. I’d been with my dad and brother to see Australia v France at the MCG and was hooked on playing for the national team.

To then see Australia qualify for the 2006 World Cup was amazing and I’ll never forget staying up with my family and seeing Tim Cahill score twice against Japan in Australia’s 3-1 win at the big event. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. It makes it all the more satisfying to think that I’ve just been part of the Socceroos squad for Tim’s farewell.

I really enjoyed the training sessions, which gave players like me the chance to show coach Graham Arnold what we’ve got. After a year or so out of the set-up, it was great to be back in the frame, especially to farewell, in my opinion, the greatest Australian player of all time.

It’s always an honour to be part of the Socceroos squad. It’s what I’ve wanted since I was a kid. But I don’t pinch myself. I’ve always shown when I’m in that environment that I belong. I see it as something I’ve worked extremely hard to achieve. There’s so much more work to do to ensure that I’m a regular member of the squad.

While the lows have steeled me, they’ve also taught me to appreciate the good times, such as any time I get to pull on the green and gold. It’s those moments that make it all worthwhile. Just as I can intricately recall the hard times, I treasure the triumphs.

I was never going to throw in the towel. I never had a plan B. I never wanted to do anything other than play football.

The move to Melbourne was a last resort after I ran out of options in Adelaide. But it led to my first truly satisfying moment. Oakleigh Cannons hadn’t progressed past an elimination final for a long time and we were playing arch rivals South Melbourne. A local crowd of about 5000 was gripped by the match, which was locked at 0-0.

I was brought off the bench in the 88th minute in a last-ditch effort by our coach to pinch the win. Within two minutes I found the back of the net and we won 1-0. People were jumping the fence, going crazy with excitement. I felt on top of the world.

Getting picked up by the Heart gave me the chance to show my skills at A-League level and when John Aloisi called me up for my debut against the Victory, my moment had arrived. I was never nervous. I never thought, ‘What if I play badly?’ All I thought was, ‘This is it. This is my chance. I’m going to kill it. I’m going to do so well’.

The game ended as a tense 0-0 draw and I got man of the match. Things kicked off from there. I played four games with the Heart before I signed my first professional contract, with the Newcastle Jets.

Playing at the Jets saw me join Emile Heskey, who had been a striker at my favourite club, Liverpool. It also was where I secured my next unforgettable moment, my first A-League goal.

It came during the first Alessandro Del Piero-Emile Heskey showdown at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, in front of 33,000 people. Both the big guns scored, but my 63rd minute goal, a chip past the goalkeeper, proved the decisive moment in the 3-2 win.

It wasn’t long after that that I got called into the Socceroos squad for the East Asia Cup tournament and made my debut against Japan, coming on for a couple of minutes, before playing the full 90 against China. Wearing the green and gold for the first time was everything I’d dreamed of. It was amazing to be involved in that.

A couple of seasons later, I came back to Adelaide to play first-team football for my home club – the club where I couldn’t get a start for their youth team a few years earlier. It was a proud moment for me. And it turned out to be a good move because I really enjoyed working with the coach, Josep Gombau.

We won the inaugural FFA Cup and, the next season, after Josep left, we had an amazing campaign, claiming the Premiers Plate and the Championship after going the first eight games winless. Personally, the season was a major milestone. I won the Aurelio Vidmar Club Champion award and Player of the Year.

That opened the door for the move to Europe. In the last game of the first season for Sparta, we played Go Ahead Eagles away and needed to win to avoid being in a relegation spot. I started on the bench, which was frustrating. But I came on at halftime and provided two assists and scored myself.

We ended up winning 3-1 and stayed up. It was around that time that the Sparta fans started the chant “Goodwin’s on fire”, which the Adelaide fans have since adopted.

MY Basic Policy

There is so much more ahead of me, so much to achieve and, no doubt, many more setbacks to endure. But that’s OK. I’m ready for anything.

Mental strength is my foundation. I’ve also stuck to a strategy which has kept me on a steady path no matter what has been thrown at me. That strategy has been to remain absolutely focused every time I train.

It might sound straightforward. But when you’ve just suffered a major letdown or are enduring a tough period – such as when I was stuck at Sparta – training at full throttle is a huge test. Every day I train, I give 100 per cent and get the absolute best out of myself.

I do it because that’s the launching pad from where I can set other goals. I’ve always reminded myself that the moment my mind wanders away from hardcore training – whether it be things going on in football or anywhere else – things can unravel and my progress can falter.

I won’t let that happen. I’ve been through too much to let it happen. Every day, I aim to do better than the day before. That’s how it will be until the day I retire.