Socceroos to honour legendary football journalist Mike Cockerill who passed away last week

THE Socceroos will wear white socks as a tribute to legendary Fairfax soccer reporter Mike Cockerill, who died hours before last Thursday’s loss to Japan.

The Socceroos will wear white socks in honour of Mike Cockerill.

THE Socceroos will wear white socks tonight as a tribute to legendary Fairfax soccer reporter Mike Cockerill, who died hours before last Thursday’s loss to Japan.

Cockerill long campaigned for the Socceroos to revert back to wearing white socks, which they did for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

There will be a minute’s silence before Tuesday’s game in tribute to Cockerill, SBS trailblazer Les Murray and three Thai officials who died in a car accident last month.

The Socceroos will wear white socks in honour of Mike Cockerill.

Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou was distraught when informed of Cockerill’s death after the Japan game.

“It’s personal for me because he’s been a massive supporter of me. I hope because he saw something in me but more importantly because I’m Australian,’’ Postecoglou said.

“He said to me, your biggest mission is to succeed not because of yourself but because he didn’t want to see another foreign coach. Whenever you spoke to him you were left feeling better about things.

“You know that you’re not going to get another text from him and it leaves a massive void in Australia football moving forward

“He kept people honest.

“We’re looking to do something on Tuesday for him.’’

Les Murray will also be remembered.

Posetcoglou, who was a player with South Melbourne in the early years of the National Soccer League around the time Cockerill began covering it as a journalist, said he was respectful of the game’s rich history.

“There aren’t many like that around still who know where we’ve come from. He always made sure when he wrote something there was a reference to where we’ve come from,’’ he said.

“That part of it is very important because as we know - it’s better now - but it was fractured for a long time to the detriment of the game.

“He’d be looking even at today’s squad and he’d be buzzing that a kid like (African refugee) Awer (Mabil) is in the squad because for him that’s what football brings to this country.

“Acknowledging your past and your roots is something that he saw as imperative if we are ever going to get progress.’’

Originally published as Socceroos to honour legendary football journalist Mike Cockerill who passed away last week