Record-breaker ... Mark Schwarzer. Photo: REUTERS
The first time I saw Mark Schwarzer was in the early 1990s. He was playing for Marconi and I was captain of Adelaide City. He was the young up-and-coming goalkeeper and everyone could see it. That was almost 20 years ago, which seems extraordinary.
He was a quiet guy, a big guy, but nowhere near as solid as he is now. Spindly and long-limbed, the perfect build for a goalkeeper. It's not just that he's tall, he has got such long arms.
Tomorrow morning he will claim my record for the most caps for a Socceroo. I'll be in the stands in Doha watching and cheering. The record is not something I spend much time thinking about, nothing stands forever. It's a different era now but international football has always been hard. Schwarzer has been a player who came through those changes, seeing us go out of Oceania and into Asia, seeing the game grow and the Socceroos become household names.
I'm proud of the record, but it's not something I use to define myself. Mostly I'm proud I played for as long as I could, that I was a long-term member of the team and captain of my country.
Most capped is not a title I sought but many people know me for it. I like having the record but I'm not clinging to it.
Mark has kept himself in outstanding physical condition and has been an absolute ambassador for the game, both in personality, in his play and as a role model.
Early on, Mark Bosnich and Robert Zabica and later Zeljko Kalac were challenging him. But for the latter part of his career, his dominance has never been in doubt.
To be as good as Mark at his age is unbelievable. It speaks volumes for his attitude and dedication. He is one of our most important contributors and clearly one of the best goalkeepers we have ever produced.
Everyone remembers the 2005 penalty shoot-out against Uruguay. On that night at the stadium some guy kept bugging me about who was going to win. He kept asking me so I said ''I don't know, I'm not a magician''. Then with 15 minutes to go I turned to him and said "It will be a penalty shoot-out, Australia will win 4-2 and Schwarzer will save two penalties''. Later he came back and thought I was a genius.
I gave that prediction because I was thinking back to the Canada game all those years before in 1993. It was tight and tense, a crucial World Cup qualifier, but the one thing I felt was confidence in Schwarzer.
That game against Canada, Bosnich had been injured and Zabica was sent off in the previous game. Schwarzer was the No.3 keeper and came in for his first start as an international. Nobody expected him to get a gig but circumstances gave him a chance and he saved two penalties in the shoot-out.
Goalkeepers need big personalities. They spend a lot of time screaming and organising the defence. I knew Bozza from a very early age and he was always loud. Mark was different, quiet at first. But after Canada his confidence lifted, everybody was talking about him.
He's in great form still. I'm looking forward to being there to see him play in the Asian Cup final and claim the record. So congratulations Mark. Just remember, you are a long time retired. Given current form and fitness there is no reason you can't go on for years. It has been a stellar career. Long may it continue.
