“I’m no hero”. That was the message from Andrew Redmayne moments after his save sent the Socceroos to a fifth successive World Cup.
An understudy to Mathew Ryan, Sydney FC goalkeeper Redmayne was an unused substitute in last week’s AFC play-off win over the United Arab Emirates but his moment, sensationally, came against Peru in Doha.
And the five-time A-Leagues champion went global.
In a scene reminiscent of the moment Netherlands head coach Louis van Gaal changed his goalkeepers in the 120th minute of a World Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica prior to penalties, Graham Arnold took the ultimate gamble.
It was a gamble Guus Hiddink also almost took on that famous night in Sydney in 2005 – Arnold the Dutchman’s number two as Zeljko Kalac prepared to replace Mark Schwarzer before that memorable shoot-out against Uruguay, only not to happen when Brett Emerton had to be substituted with cramp.
On Tuesday morning, out went Arnold’s captain and star goalkeeper. In came Redmayne with just moments remaining in extra time.
After 120 goalless minutes in the inter-continental showdown, Redmayne made himself a national hero in just his third international appearance, repelling Alex Valera’s spot-kick to seal a 5-4 shoot-out triumph.
“I’m a bit lost for words,” Redmayne, whose distinctive antics on the goalline grabbed world-wide attention, told Network 10 post-match. “I can’t thank this team enough, the staff enough.
“I’m not going to take credit for this. The boys ran out 120 minutes – and it not only takes the 11 on the field, but the boys on the bench, the boys in the stands, the boys that missed out on this squad as well.
“It’s a team effort, it’s a team game so I can’t take any more credit than any of the other 27 that are here.”
“I just played my role like everyone else did tonight,” the 33-year-old said.
Eyebrows were raised when Arnold turned to Redmayne as a penalty shoot-out loomed against CONMEBOL’s Peru.
But it was all part of the plan.
“This idea was floated pre-selection, that this might eventuate in these kind of circumstances,” Redmayne added.
“I guess for the two or three weeks we’ve been here I’ve kind of been having it in my mind.
“I’ve been working on a few things at training, but at the end of the day it’s either right or left, so the work has been done, the homework had been done, and like I said I’m grateful for the other boys that ran out 120 minutes.”
After it was all said and done, even after his dancing routine, his hilarious victory pose also caught the eye as it went viral.
And it was a pose known all too well in the Redmayne household.
Redmayne’s wife Caitlin revealed via the Today Show: “That was a tribute to our little girl Poppy, that same face of his that he pulls, always lights up her face… that was pretty special.”
