Now the work begins for Australia

The type of performance that typified their entire qualifying campaign took Australia through to their second consecutive World Cup at the Al Sadd Club in Doha.

Professional, composed, disciplined, determined, pragmatic and somewhat dour are all adjectives that aptly describe the 0-0 draw against Qatar, the 2009 Socceroos and, indeed, their Dutch coach Pim Verbeek.

Like an expert waiter in a 3-Star Michelin restaurant, Verbeek has delivered exactly what his hungry customer - Football Federation Australia - ordered: smooth and safe passage to South Africa 2010. And he's served it all before many of the other diners have finished their main courses - with two games remaining.

Given the intoxicating experience of Germany 2006 where they impressed with both style and substance before losing to eventual champions Italy in the second round, the Australians now have an insatiable appetite for the World Cup finals.

For Harry Kewell - who played like a man inspired against the Qataris - international football has gone from a sometimes-inconvenient distraction to what will probably define his career. A week after leaving it all on the field at Wembley, Tim Cahill lifted his weary body to produce bicycle kicks and sizzling shots before being substituted after 92 minutes.

Mark Schwarzer kept his record sixth consecutive clean sheet and showed the assuredness of the unrivalled veteran custodian that he is with a sure pair of hands as he claimed a dangerous free-kick during injury time. Yet another Sydney boy Lucas Neill - the pride of the northern beaches - was the captain courageous and the steadying influence at the back.

Make no mistake: this was no stroll in the park, even facing an opposition that Australia had thumped by a combined 10 goals to one in three previous matches.

At kick-off, the temperature was 33 degrees Celsius - which felt like 36 degrees given the 49% humidity - and the news had filtered through from Tashkent. Japan's 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan meant that Bruno Metsu's side still had plenty to play for, with the outside chance of taking third-place in the group which would earn a play-off to prolong their South Africa hopes.

And with Al Gharrafa goalkeeper Qasem Burhan producing a man-of-the-match display, the Qataris frustrated the visitors with their pluck and resistance while threatening on the counter-attack through Uruguay-born Sebastian Soria Quintana.

Australia's familiar tactic of playing with a loan striker - on this occasion Karslruher SC's Josh Kennedy - may infuriate the purists, but you can't argue with results. Verbeek's impeccable road record - including victories in Bahrain and Uzbekistan and a point in Japan - is the main reason that the Socceroos were able to crack open the champagne with 180 minutes of qualifying to go.

Other Australian heroes include Gold Coast United's star recruit Jason Culina - whose seamless switch from right fullback into the midfield during the second half underlined his versatility (he could also do a job in a more attacking role) - and FC Basel favourite Scott Chipperfield, who brings the hard-working and uncomplaining tendencies of his former career as a bus driver to wherever he serves on the field.

And a man who deserves a special word is stand-in centre-back Chris Coyne, who's not even a guaranteed starter with Colchester United in England's third tier. He again played his heart out for his country, despite being left with a bloodied nose from a flying elbow.

Coyne can be exposed by small, fast attackers and his distribution also leaves a lot to be desired. With Craig Moore and Michael Beauchamp due to regain full fitness, the West Australian may not see even one minute of game time in South Africa. But like Tony Vidmar in the successful 2006 campaign, he has played an important role in getting Australia there.

Slightly worryingly, the starting line-up in Doha featured nine members of the Socceroo squad from Germany, eight of whom will have passed their 30th birthday by the time the World Cup kicks off next year (Culina will enter his third decade three weeks after the final). And that's not even taking into account other veterans like Moore, Brett Emerton - and even Mark Viduka - who are due to come back into the squad in the coming months.

Now Australia have qualified, it's the time for them to lift their standards, discard some of the dead wood in the squad (players who have long been inactive at their clubs) and do some serious development in the Socceroos' attacking third. The injection of new blood is a must because much of this ageing squad was better in 2006 than they will be in 2010.

Mile Jedinak could be a more potent proposition than Carl Valeri at defensive midfield. Scott McDonald, Bruce Djite and Nick Carle should be given extended chances in the starting line-up. Dario Vidosic and Nikita Rukavytsya need to be let off the leash because speed is one ingredient Australia desperately need more of. Back-up goalkeepers like Michael Petkovic and Brad Jones must get some meaningful game-time under their belts.

Because, in the euphoria of this commendable qualifying campaign, let's not overlook the fact that the solid but unspectacular level of play shown in Asian qualifying won't be enough against the best sides from Europe, South America and Africa. Let the Aussies' disastrous 2008 Beijing Olympics (one draw, two defeats, one goal) be a cautionary tale of what can happen when an unadventurous selection meets a conservative approach, lacking long-term vision.

By all means celebrate now. They've certainly earned it. But don't forget one important point: unless the Socceroos can sharply raise their game in the next 12 months, it will most definitely be "three games and out" in South Africa.

" Australian-born Jason Dasey (www.jasondasey.com) is an international broadcaster and corporate host. He covered the 2006 World Cup and 2007 Asian Cup for ESPN.