It's almost mid-June, and my editor informs me it's time for a break, before the A-League resumes and a World Cup captivates us in November and December, so this will be the last comment for a while.

Which brings me neatly to the task facing Graham Arnold and his Socceroos squad at 4am on Tuesday morning. It's huge, to be perfectly frank. I rated Australia's chances about 70-30 against the UAE and never felt they were going to lose, despite the dangerous incursions of their flying left winger Harib Abdalla.