“As I said, I just want to thank the crowd. I enjoyed the game, great Japan team. This is a step forward for us, it’s great to finish top of the group. Again thank you so much to the crowd, thank you.”

That Tim Cahill, he really loved the crowd.

The media is all ahuff today about Tim Cahill’s amusing verbal two fingers to them after the Socceroos’ victory against Japan last night, because the tabloids gave him a slating the day before. It’s the Bucket’s view that he can say whatever he wants, but the rest of the Alpha office thinks he’s a petty, petulant child, who took his grievance out on a hapless TV reporter. Hero? Villain? Why don’t you, the reader, decide?

Saturday night, at ANZ Stadium… The fabled Alpha Locker Room will be there at the Swans vs Collingwood Clash, so come on over. We have tonnes of great stuff to give away including the latest Alpha caps, Nintendo Wii games, free magazines, Alpha’s Greatest AFL Comebacks DVDs and the chance to meet a Swans player in the flesh. It’s the second-most fun you can have in a small caravan.