The death of Terry Venables will mean different things to different people. For Australian sports and football fans, players, pundits, and aficionados, the memories of the infamous night at the MCG between the Socceroos and Iran will be revived upon hearing about his passing. When Venables arrived as Australia’s coach, football was arguably stuck in a rut which echoes its place in the Australian sporting landscape today. He was brought in by David Hill, the English immigrant who has worn many hats. Hill was the boss of Soccer Australia in 1996, and he wanted to make football more mainstream in Australia. Venables was contracted for just £200,000 for 12 months, and his primary goal was to get Australia to the 1998 World Cup Finals. However, despite an expanded tournament and a straightforward Oceania campaign, Australia was defeated by Iran in the final playoff. This loss was a devastating blow for the Socceroos and their fans. Despite Venables’ resignation, he was able to guide the Socceroos to the Confederations Cup final as his last great hurrah as Australian coach. Unfortunately, they were defeated by a strong Brazilian team. These memories serve as a reminder of what could have been for the Socceroos in the 1998 World Cup.