GOOD things come to those who wait.

And Brad Jones has certainly waited.

The 35-year-old goalkeeper is one of the immediate beneficiaries of Bert van Marwijk’s appointment, with the goalkeeper’s Championship-winning exploits with Feyenoord, in the new Socceroos boss’ native Holland, catching the coach’s eye.

His inclusion in a preliminary squad for friendlies against Norway and Colombia ends a four-year Socceroos exile for the custodian.

Australia faces Norway on Saturday 24 March, 4am kick-off, and then Colombia in London, on the 28th, 6am kick-off AEST.

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Keeper Brad Jones of Feyenoord Source: Supplied

It also marks the possibility of a truly emotional World Cup selection.

It was eight years ago, in South Africa, when Jones’ life turned upside down.

The goalkeeper, then at Middlesbrough, was in Australia’s World Cup squad alongside Mark Schwarzer and Adam Federici, and on the cusp of a move to boyhood club Liverpool.

Adam Federici, Mark Schwarzer and Brad Jones before the 2010 World Cup. Source: News Corp Australia

But on the eve of the tournament he left to be with his family when they learned their four-year-old son Luca had leukaemia. Tragically, Luca passed two years later, in November 2011.

“At the same time (as his football career was taking off), in my personal life, we were … a shambles. I’d just left the World Cup before it had begun because we’d found out Luca was ill,” he said in a 2013 interview.

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“We didn’t know exactly what was happening or how it happened, what the chances were. So you have one bit of your life on a massive high and another that’s horrendous. That’s where we were. It’s hard.”

Melbourne Victory v Liverpool FC at the MCG: Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet subbed on for Brad Jones. Source: News Limited

During a traumatic journey, Jones tried to balance football with being a dad — and that included the emotional roller coaster of making his Liverpool debut in the Premier League, where he came off the bench against Blackburn and saved a penalty with his first involvement. He then played an FA Cup final in a Merseyside Derby, all while revelling in the birth of his son, Nico, to new partner Dani.

Brad Jones of Liverpool in 2014. Source: Getty Images

After living his dream at Liverpool, although as No. 2 he only played 27 matches in five years, Jones’ career is enjoying a renaissance in the Eredivisie, where he is treated warmly by the club’s fans.

Captain, Dirk Kuyt of Feyenoord Rotterdam celebrates with team mates Brad Jones Source: Getty Images

Indeed, on the six-year anniversary of Luca’s passing, in November last year, the club’s fans sang a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone in the 12th minute to mark what would have been his 12th birthday.

He told De Kuip: “A nice gesture in this difficult time of the year for me and my family”.

“Before the game I was told that the supporters were planning something. Of course I had to be focused during the game, but it was impossible not to see all those lights. My wife was also in the stadium and this support and support is very nice for us. I would like to thank the supporters for that. Nice that they think of Luca.”

Despite a 10-year association with the national team, he has only made four appearances, the last being in 2014 in the last 30 minutes of a friendly against Ecuador.

He was deputy at Schwarzer at Borough before taking over, then in and out of the first team at the Reds, and has also had stints at Derby and NEC Nijmegen. He is certainly making the most of the later years in his career.

“He’s in the best form of his career and has just got better with age,” Schwarzer said earlier this year.

Brad Jones in 2010 with Richard Garcia, Rhys Williams, Shane Lowry, Nikita Rukavytsya Source: News Limited

“He deserves a call up because his form clearly warrants it. I am not sure why Ange Postecoglou didn’t select him but that was his prerogative.

“However, with a new coach comes a new opportunity and I am sure Brad is more than ready to step up if the chance comes again.

“He’s flourished in Holland, and is producing the performances week-in week-out at a very good club.”

Now, after being shunned during the Postecoglou era — although rumours persist he turned down a call-up seeking assurances he would be first choice — Jones gets the chance to vie with Danny Vukovic and Mitch Langerak for the two positions behind Socceroos No. 1 Mathew Ryan on the plane to Russia.

It would cap an emotional rollercoaster and intense eight-year wait.