Matthew Hall is a leading Australian soccer writer who will blog regularly for BPL from the World Cup.

Four days out from The Big Game Against Germany and coach Pim Verbeek has gone all Secret Squirrel on us.

On Wednesday, Verbeek locked the door on Australia's daily training session, holding a shut-out workout away from the prying eyes of media.

Maybe Verbeek is as tired of answering questions over the fitness, or otherwise, of Harry Kewell as the gaggle of reporters present here are of asking about The Groin.

The possibility of Kewell playing against Germany might not be so all encompassing if it looked like there were other ways for Australia to score a goal.

Josh Kennedy, try as he might, looked unconvincing against the United States but can take comfort in that he was not alone there.

Kennedy's sole goal in warm-up friendlies seemed to surprise him as much as it did observers - a tap in after Denmark where their defence seemed frozen in the middle of an improvised performance art piece.

Still, if Kennedy can get the ball in the German's net by brushing it with a strand of his lank hair, we will happily make him a national hero.

So, with no Socceroo training sessions to observe and report, Football Federation Australia stepped up to make a media moment like no other.

A "Major Announcement" regarding the 2018/2022 World Cup bid was to be made Wednesday morning at Mohlakano Primary School, outside Johannesburg.

The location was so obscure that it did not register on GPS systems, probably because Mohlakano PS is a small school in the middle of an isolated township.

FFA and the Federal Government had intended to talk up a $150,000 initiative that delivered 9000 "Lap Desks" to local kids.

Hurrah.

Frank Lowy, his CEO Ben Buckley, and Federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis, were welcomed to the school by hundreds of kids screaming, clapping, and blowing vuvuzelas.

The media, too, some travelling on a luxury coach into the township, were welcomed as if they were Bafana Bafana making a day trip into town.

"I want to meet Sphiwe Tshabalala," requested one teenage girl of a South Africa national team favourite.

Unfortunately, she was soon to be disappointed.

But so, too, were Lowy and Buckley.

While the occasion should have been a celebration of Aussie charity, the only question the media posed referred to Australia's faltering bid for the 2018/2022 World Cups.

Faltering? Uh, yes.

On Tuesday, Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hammam announced the AFC would support a European nation's bid for 2018.

Oops. What about Australia? That means AFC is not supporting one of its own.

Correct.

Lowy and Buckley drove back hard. Bin Hammam's comments made no difference to Australia's position, they claimed.

Then Buckley quietly revealed (to me and Michael Church from the South China Morning Post) that Bin Hammam had not advised Australia he was about to make his sentiment public.

The first FFA heard about it was at the AFC Congress when the AFC President told everybody else.

Why does that matter?

Bin Hammam and Lowy have long had a "special friendship", a relationship that was key to Australia joining the AFC in 2005.

Something, somewhere, is frosting over.

Part of it is that Bin Hammam is Qatari and Qatar is bidding for 2022.

Part of it, too, is that Bin Hammam is considering running for FIFA President in 2011.

But why no more love for Australia or Lowy?

That's the question many in Asian football are asking but one few in Australia have yet to comprehend.

Oh, and Harry's groin? It's fine.

You can bet Frank Lowy wishes he'd been asked about that instead.