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Australia’s dancing goalkeeper: “I’m not a hero and this was planned for a month” | World Cup 2022

Australian coach Graham Arnold followed Louis van Gaal’s lead at the 2014 World Cup, who substituted for Tim Krul in the quarterfinals against Costa Rican Jasper Cillessen. The substitute saved a penalty, the Netherlands to the semi-finals.

Three minutes before the end of extra time – at 0-0 – 33-year-old Redmayne (who played football in Australia all his life) only earned his 3rd cap. “He is a very good penalty taker,” explained Arnold, who was also in the striker at FC Liège and Charleroi.

“I also wanted to do something that could affect the opponent mentally. Peru may have wondered: “Why is that guy being brought? He must be good.”

“Maybe that’s why the ball hit the post (at Peru’s 3rd penalty, red). Maybe there is only 1 percent mental impact on the penalty takers, it was a risk, but it turned out well.”

That’s how Redmayne saw it himself: “If I could win even 1 or 2 percent by doing something stupid and making a fool of myself, I would,” he later told the press.

The goalkeeper was constantly dancing from post to post, twirling his hips and making big arm movements, like legendary Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar did in 1984, when the club won the European Cup against Roma.

Redmayne took Peru’s 6th penalty and the World Cup ticket, but remained modest in the triumph: “I only played a small part. I don’t think I’m the hero. The boys gave the full pound against a good opponent for 120 minutes. ” The keeper also managed to throw the water bottle into the stands with the penalty notes of his Peruvian colleague.

The ref didn’t understand the goalkeeper’s movements: “He threatened a few times with a yellow card because I would provoke, but I assured him that was not the case.”

Redmayne has already scored in penalty series. He gave Sydney the title in 2019 with 2 saves in the championship final.

The goalkeeper also revealed that the plan to replace Matthew Ryan for the penalty shoot-out – should it come to that – was at least a month old, but that it was kept a secret from the rest of the team. Ryan was a big support the whole time, he admitted.

“I know my place in the Australian goalkeeper rankings. I’m grateful for how Matty handled it.”

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