It speaks to the craziness of Andrew Redmayne’s life in recent months that the night before he departs for the World Cup in Qatar, the Socceroos and Sydney FC goalkeeper will be cheered on by a small band of Peruvians.
Redmayne is not a popular man in Peru. From the night in June when the bearded keeper came on as a tactical substitute for Australia during a penalty shoot-out, danced like a “Grey Wiggle”, tossed away the notes of the Peru keeper and helped the Socceroos – and not the soccer-mad South Americans – make the World Cup, Redmayne has been Peru’s villain-in-chief.
Kids across Peru were dressed as Redmayne for Halloween and vision of Peruvian clowns – both rodeo and circus – dancing like the Grey Wiggle Aussie has emerged. Five months on, Redmayne’s social media is still clogged.
“Yeah there’s a fair bit of Spanish in there. That’s all part of it I suppose,” Redmayne said.
“Now the attention turns to the real deal.”
Or almost, anyway. Prior to departure, Redmayne will keep goal for Sydney FC in a spicy Sydney derby against the Wanderers on Saturday night at Allianz Stadium, which is expected to draw 35,000.
Andrew Redmayne with Peruvian fans. Sydney FC is offering any fans with a Peruvian passport free tickets to Saturday night’s derby.Credit:Rhett Wyman
Sydney FC expect about 100 will be members of Australia’s Peruvian community, who have been invited by Sydney to attend and will get in free with a Peru passport. Whether they can cheer for Redmayne, or will be go from red-and-white to red-and-black, remains to be seen but the keeper was at his diplomatic best posing with some Peruvians on Wednesday after training.
“That was pretty much the first time I’ve met anyone … I don’t think the Peruvian community in Australia is that large,” he said.
“They [the clown videos] come across my feed pretty regularly. It is all fun and games. Whenever it is creative banter I am all for it.”
Janie Crispin, a Peru and Sydney FC fan who was at the Grey Wiggle game in Qatar, said his nation is still mourning but as a people who pride themselves on good sportsmanship, they’ve responded with humour.
“Not being in the World Cup, it is very painful still, but we are taking it day by day,” he said.
“Andrew is seen like a bad boy, a naughty boy, that’s the way he is seen. But he did what he had to do for his country, I am sure Peruvians would do the same. This is just football. I will still support him and still support Sydney FC this Saturday.”
Redmayne said he was still coming to grips with having been selected as one of three Socceroos goalkeepers for the World Cup, having all-but given up hope several years ago.
“It is a bit surreal. I have made no secret of the fact I shed quite a few tears yesterday, happy tears. I was quite emotional. It was a reward for myself but also a reward for my family and friends who have supported me along the way,” he said.
Andrew Redmayne makes his crucial penalty save.Credit:Network Ten
The shock non-selection of in-form keeper Mitch Langerak was a major talking point from Graham Arnold’s squad, and while Redmayne said he feels for his mate, his omission is part of a broader plan.
“It’s the nature of the beast, in football there are always hard decisions to make. I think [Socceroos goalkeeper coach John] Crawley and ‘Arnie’ have made tough decisions in the past that have puzzled some people,” Redmayne said.
“But there is always a plan behind that and that’s what the public need to understand, there is always method behind the madness. Even going back to the decision for me to come on in the last game.
“It is [a tough one for Langerak] but at the end of the day the selection decisions rest with the coaches, and there are always going to be people who miss out.
“There are boys who slogged their way through hotel quarantines and the qualification process and all that, and they’ve missed out as well. So it’s never nice to miss out, for anyone.”
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