It was the Rory Delap factor.Ricardo Fuller and Seyi Olofinjana both scored from the missile like throw-ins by Rory Delap
Delap sent a throw to the far post and Fuller glanced in for the opener. Delap, himself, then looped in a header that Gael Clichy cleared off the line before Olofinjana chested in Stoke's second from another Delap throw-in.
An old and deep rooted fear was stoked by a SA minister promoting the World Cup at the Beijing Olympics. Dr Essop Pahad, was recently reported as saying that ‘Even though they are a minority, there are still a lot of whites who don't support Bafana Bafana". In addition, he reportedly stated: "They also don't care that the World Cup is being staged in South Africa'.
The first part of the statement can obviously be disputed. The lack of support reflects fans who have been disenchanted with Bafana Bafana's performance for a while. Craig Urquhart points out, "It's no secret that the South African public has, for the most part, fallen out with its team, which inspired the international football community in the early years following their re-admission into the Fifa fold."
The abrupt departure of Carlos Alberto Parreira who obviously came for the money and his handpicked replacement Joel Santana, a manager with no national or even substantial club appearance further eroded the teams support. It reached its nadir when the team failed to qualify for the 2010 ACN.
The brickbats came from all sides. Both Clive Barker and Jomo Sono, SA's eminence gris slammed SAFA for the selection of Joel Santana urging indigenous selections. The vice-president of the South African Football Association, chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, warned the country could ill afford to have Bafana Bafana "behave like the rand on world financial markets, or to be a source of amusement in Zapiro cartoons." So the loss of faith comes universally.
However it is the second part of Pahad's statement that is problematic. It hearkens to the colonial hangover of Afro pessimism, that of a continent too riddled with problems for good governance and economic development. The phenomenon specifies sub-Saharan countries in particular as failed states. SA was never part of this stereotype. But those were in the days of apartheid. Pahad's statement instigates that whites maybe disillusioned enough to believe that the phenomenon could become a reality in SA with the ANC in power. So the World Cup is doomed to failure. A similar gloom seems to be settling in some white pockets of the USA with a Barack Obama presidency imminent.
To counter this perception that whites are secretly rooting for the World Cup to fail, the Human Sciences Research Council conducted a survey to find the attitudes amongst the different groups. They found no difference in the level of support for the World Cup between the different groups but there were differences in perception in what it would achieve.
Differences appear in the perception that SA's international profile would rise with the World Cup. Less whites and Indians were sold on this benefit. HSRC does not give a reason for this finding because the differences are less than significant but it is nevertheless worthy of comment. The advent of the ANC has given blacks and coloreds political power at the cost of whites and Indians. The World Cup was awarded by FIFA to showcase the new post-apartheid SA. The blacks feel that they have a responsibility to the world to fulfill that confidence.
The one difference that is significant is the benefit from tourism. More whites and Indians believe that having the World Cup would improve that benefit. The service and manufacturing base is owned and staffed by predominantly these two groups. The banking, retail, jewelry and tourism sector is white majority owned. A company like SAB operates pubs, casinos, and hotels. Indians in Durban own family operate hotels, travel agencies, pharmacies, petrol stations, cab companies, provision stores, telecom and clothing stores. The government has started entrepreneurship programs for black businesses but success seems to be mixed and concentrated to the privileged few.
SA's preparedness for the World Cup remains more of a concern to whites and they also see less long lasting benefits. Most of the skepticism probably derives from the fact that the high crime rate is more of a issue to this group while infrastructure problems seem to be slowly but steadily getting resolved. The abnormally high rates of murder and rape has led to white flight. It appears to be the single most contentious issue. Will the security apparatus put in place for the World Cup be enough to control crime?
The survey could have introduced more indexes like crime rate which is a concern for many tourists coming to SA for the World Cup and whether the groups see a mitigation in this problem as a possible benefit. It also would have been useful to also break down the respondents by age to show differences between generations. In the US, amongst blacks who grew up scarred by segregation a pernicious feeling of no matter how hard they work, they will fail prevails. This stands in contrast to the more confident generation growing up post segregation like Barack Obama believing that they can succeed. Are young blacks in the 18-21 year demographic as invested in their country's international standing as compared to the older generation that grew up in apartheid?
Of course, all this pales somewhat in comparison to the gung ho reception of the Chinese to their Olympics. Eighty percent of them stated that the Olympics were personally important and ninety six percent believed that they would be a success. Sixty six percent said that the games had improved their country's standing.
If Maradona can take Boca out of their current neurosis and put them on top of the table, I will be one step closer to believing that he can guide Argentina back to the days of the 1986 World Cup.
After all there should be no shortage of inspiration since La Bombanera is Maradona's stomping grounds. Anytime Martin Palermo feels the sting of his 34 year old legs, all he has to to do is look at the stands for a glimpse of the maestro to get his second wind. However, the club's success and failure falls squarely on the shoulders of Carlos Ischia, Boca's present manager who has to find his way without his front line striker and not even the benediction of a transformational figure can heal Palermo's torn ACL soon enough.
Maradona has never had any substantial managerial experience on any level and inspiration does not pad this thin resume. If it were, he should be Argentina's mascot and travel with them every World Cup to lift them to better results than the ones they have become used to. So far there is nothing to compare him to Carlos Bianchi who as Boca's manager led them to nine titles and should have been a clear favourite for the coaching job. Maradona had this to say about Bianchi, " I shake hands for what he has done with Boca as manager." This is not the full quotation because Maradona also offered something less flattering about Bianchi's personality.
It is quite like Maradona to have an opinion of anyone and everyone that has played the game. Part of this oracle like routine is to weigh in on his legacy and successor. Which has led him to make pronouncements on a bevy of players like Veron, Ardiles, Aimar, Saviola, Tevez, and finally Messi. And these are just the Argentinian nominees. It makes for perfectly good breaking news. Without any official capacity he remains very influential having offered Boca's coaching job to Bernd Schuster and instrumental in luring Martin Palermo from the Serie. He also hosts one of Argentina's most popular TV program that has him pitting his opinionated views against guests like Pele. He has had to fight his demons from his days at Napoli which have taken a toll on his health and personal life.
Maradona has championed mirror images of him everywhere, every underdog fueled by familiar chords of resentment and paranoia, shafted by an unfair system. It also clouds any objective assessment both on Maradona's part and the public who follow him. His idols are Carlos Monzon and Ayrton Senna, outsized personalities who excelled at their sports, lived full throttle, ended their lives destructively, and 'never took the cats milk'. This euphemism runs recurrent in Maradona's palpable dislike of players whom he thinks sold him out or turned against. His well publicized feud with Passarella has led Maradona to divide players into opposing camps on the basis of their support. Maradona also dislikes players who appear dispassionate on the field. He singles out Redondo, Zidane and Platini. On that note alone it would be hard to find Riquelme a spot on Maradona's XI.
I love Maradona as a player. He is incomparable. No one has fought harder for the rights of players. He has bloodied Sepp Blatter and the FIFA establishment time and time again. But he is an ideologue. All of the above suggests a view that brooks no shades of gray. If you want a telenovela that all Argentinians follow avidly, by all means go for Maradona. Yet, it is the Marcelo Lippi's of the world who win World Cups. Cool, pragmatic, and versatile in their thinking. They dip into their persona as and when the need arises to supplement inspiration or encouragement, all the while laying the onus on team performance. Carlos Bianchi would have been a far better choice.
No its not an inflatable model of Sepp Blatter but a green haired leopard called " Zakumi".The organisers correctly figured that Blatter was inflated enough already and hence went for the leopard.
Zakumi - the ZA stands for South Africa while kumi means ten in assorted African languages.
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke explained the choice.
"Zakumi represents the people, geography and spirit of South Africa, personifying in essence the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We are certain we will have a lot of fun with him in the lead-up to and during the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA World Cup."
Andries Odendaal from Cape Town came up with the design -the animal's green hair is designed to will provide 'camouflage' on a football pitch.
Former South African star Lucas Radebe says "he wants to create a good mood for the fans and raise the excitement for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first on African soil.He is a proud South African and wants to ensure that the world will come together in South Africa."
Theodorus Walcottus Awesomus
Arsenal meets Blackburn this weekend, another team that believes in Josip Simunic style of tackling. Here is hoping that Walcott gets the start after his barnstorming performance against Croatia which should have boosted his confidence to stratospheric levels.
Wenger should take note of what Capello said:
“I decided to put Theo into the first team because I saw the game against Andorra at the weekend and also how he was in training – and at this moment he is fantastic psychologically and physically."
The best thing about those goals was their decisiveness. No hesitation in pulling the trigger. I think Walcott has come of age and this will be a huge season for him. Wenger should not hesitate starting him. Who is betting 15+ goals?? This young man also has his head on his shoulders and comes off as measured and introspective.
Nicklas Bendtner also had a big game scoring a goal against Portugal as the Danes beat Nani and company. Which is all good because we need Arsenal's attack to score when it gets those chances. Samir Nasri looks questionable with a knee injury further depleting Arsenal's midfield.
The comparisons between Beckham and Walcott are quite amusing although when it comes to the women in their lives, its hands down Melanie Slade. She is studying to be a physiotherapist and will be a nice addition to the Arsenal team in that department. Here is looking to a lot of injury stoppages.
A week ago in the UNSC, South Africa voted against sanctions for Zimbabwe's leaders. The resolution was defeated with the help of China and Russia. The BBC described SA as a Zimbabwe ally pleased with the outcome. The result angered the US and England, the prime movers behind the resolution. In the balance was the marginalization of the Mugabe government which has used violence and intimidation resulting in the deaths of many opposition supporters to remain in power.
A more low key but equally important build up to the vote was taking place on the sidelines as Sepp Blatter through his surrogate, Jeroen Valcke expressed concern at the deterioriating conditions in Zimbabwe which could impact preparations for the 2010 World Cup. Blatter had previously reassured Danny Jordaan that only a natural catastrophe would be cause for the World Cup to be removed elsewhere but in a twist he also mentioned that there was a Plan B with three countries that could be counted on to host the Cup within a year. In his meeting with Jordaan, Valcke had this to say:
'It would have been nice for South Africa, with all the other challenges they are facing, not to have the problem of Zimbabwe on top of it all. We add our voice to concerns and we fully support what is being done by all international organisations,' Valcke said.
Valcke's statement can't be read as anything more than disappointment at Thabo Mbeki's quiet diplomacy which most Western observers reject as tacit support and ineffectual in changing Mugabe's behaviour. They are now rapidly advocating more interventionist tactics, like sanctions and military force.
It is clear that FIFA favours more pro-active tactics for solving the Zimbabwe problem. Even Danny Jordaan has voiced his frustration at Mbeki's go slow approach. Some observers conjecture that Mugabe is on his way out as Mbeki's powers wane and Jacob Zuma asserts control. SA's powerful trade unions are vehemently against Mugabe and a few months ago, the dock workers refused to unload a Chinese cargo ship carrying arms destined for Zimbabwe.
Sepp Blatter with the backing of Western Europe (the countries that fill FIFA's coffers with billions in TV and ad revenues) could use the World Cup as a carrot to force Mbeki to abandon Mugabe and force him off the stage, ultimately proving more effective than all the protests, sanctions, and threatened use of military intervention. A huge breach in SA's sovereignty but surely a small price to pay to keep the World Cup.
And how could he do this? FIFA, under Sepp Blatter is now a powerful potentate with many more member countries than the UN and which in the past, has had its way with Africa.
It employs thin skinned retaliatory tactics when dealing with African delegates or resorts to heavy handed suspensions of countries from international competitions for perceived political interference in their national associations. Even FIFA's support of country over club competitions is a capricious artifice when it comes to African players.
So who suspends FIFA for political interference? No one dare.
Here's a video that almost slipped through the cracks.USA beating Barbados 8 - 0 in a World Cup 2010 qualifier.
Iraq's World Cup qualifier with Australia will go on as scheduled with Blatter and Co lifting the ban on Iraq before the deadline ran out.Blatter announced this at the opening ceremony of the FIFA Congress.Sunday's match would proceed as scheduled.
The match in Brisbane had been danger after FIFA suspended Iraq because the government had issued a decree last week dissolving the Iraqi National Olympic Committee (NOC) and all national sport federations.However things seem to have been sorted out for now and as Sherlock Holmes said as he was heading off to play some footie ....the game is afoot..........!
It is befitting that the current ACN is hosted by Ghana to be followed by the World Cup in two years time in SA. In both countries, soccer played an invaluable part in organizing resistance to colonialism and apartheid, respectively. Under Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first prime minister and the first African leader in a post colonial era, soccer was not seen as just a sport but an organizing force towards a potent pan African nationalism.
In the 1950s, Ghana began institutionalizing soccer as part of a policy introduced by Nkrumah's industrialization of Ghana. Nkrumah was a technocrat who believed that the path towards Ghana's path towards leading Africa was to invest in hydro-electric plants and heavy industries that would change Ghana's hitherto agrarian landscape and make them a force to reckon with in the world. Soccer was a part of that change which would allow Ghanian players to compete with their former colonial masters and best them in the sport that mattered most. This is pure conjecture but the embarrassment which England suffered at the hands of the Magyars in 1953 at Wembley must have emboldened Nkrumah to believe in their former overlord's fallibility.
The Black Stars, Ghana's national team was inspired by the clandestine shipping line started in 1919 by Marcus Garvey, the American civil rights activist who saw repatriation of African Americans back to their land of origin, as part of the fight against slavery and segregation. Such a percieved anti-national effort met with the opprobrium of the FBI honcho, Edgar Hoover, at the zenith of the second Red Scare, who then infiltrated the Black Star shipping line with his agents, and effectively shut down the shipping line.
Nkrumah was one of those responsible for starting the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the organization behind the ACN. This was his clarion call:
“Africa can ill-afford to lag behind in any sphere of life. I therefore charge you to organize Africa’s version of the European Cup for club championship with this trophy.
“With efficient organization, I am certain this competition will add to the soccer maturity of Africa and help propel our dear continent into the lime-light….I hope that this competition will help bring African soccer into maturity and earn for our dear continent a greater respectability and recognition at the universal level.”
To this effect he directed the rebuilding of Ghana's soccer legacy to Ohene Djan, his new director of sports, and the impresario who orchestrated Ghana's dominance in the early years of the ACN. Ghana's domestic league was the yardstick in those early years. A rigorous scouting network which would single out talented players from village games, a league which paid its players handsomely, and a league team eked out of the best players from each club, in effect a surrogate for the national team , ensured that Ghana was the dominant African power. Djan was able to get a well known pharmaceutical company, R.R. Harding and Company, to sponsor the domestic league.
In 1960, the Black Stars held Real Madrid, the European champions, boasting stars like Alfredo Di Stefano, and Ferenc Puskas, to a 3-3 draw, and entered the consciousness of Europe indelibly. The 1960s were the golden years of Ghanian soccer as they won two ACN titles and went to four consecutive finals. In comparison, in oil rich Nigeria, the life of a soccer player was a life of penury. It was a sore point for Nigeria who looked on with envy at their neighbours and its players who rode expensive cars and wore the best clothes. The Super Eagles were the country cousins to the Black Stars.
In 1963 the Black Stars won the inaugural ACN six years after its independence. In 2007, Ghana celebrated 50 years of freedom and the 1963 victory was a big part of the celebrations. In an interview with BBC sports, Joseph Agyeman-Gyau who was a striker in the winning squad reminisces:
"That victory was very good for Ghana because it united the whole country," the sexagenarian told BBC Sport.
"One of the purposes of (Ghana's first president) Kwame Nkrumah was to tell the whole world that we can do things for ourselves and achieve positive results.
In a visionary move, Ohene Djan's strong emphasis on developing talent paid of as Ghana's youth teams won significant world titles and ensured Ghana's perpetuity even as its senior teams failed to qualify or win any meaningful title in the late 80s and 90s. Those dry decades saw the rise of future stars like Michael Essien, Steven Appiah, Sulley Muntari, and John Pantsil who led the Ghana team to the 2006 World Cup and were instrumental in getting to a second round appearance. Essien leads the present Ghana team. He plays for Chelsea and like many others, he is as part of an ever growing armada of African players, plying their trade in the higher paying and high profile European leagues. It is now part and parcel of European leagues to have African players in their clubs and a measure of their indubitable success that this years ACN has become a flashpoint, depleting clubs wholesale of key players, volunteering for their national team, leaving their clubs adrift of their title aspirations. As an Arsenal fan, the loss of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue has robbed the club of defensive dynamism, leading to the leaden performances against Birmingham and more recently, the shellacking at the hands of Spurs.
The pioneer as with most of African soccer was a Ghanian player, Charles Kumi Gyamfi aka CK who left Hearts of Oak for Fortuna Dusseldorf in 1960. He was the first African player to do so.
"When he played for the national team against the visiting Fortuna Dusseldorf team from Germany, the German team offered C K the opportunity to play professional football in Germany. In his debut, he scored a goal for the German team and the fans soon nicknamed him "Tunda Vita" which means Thunder Weather due to his shooting power."
In a measure of the hold of the heady pan nationalism that Ghanian soccer engendered in those years, CK decided to spurn the limelight and lucrativeness of European soccer as he was called onto coach the Black Stars. He was supported in this endeavour by Ohene Djan. CK became the most successful national coach as he led the Black Stars to three ACN titles. A feat as yet unsurpassed. Charles Kumi's exploits led the European leagues to open the doors to the first duo of African superstars, Tony Yeboah and Abedi Pele in the 1980s.
As any Leeds United fan in their club's chequered history would tell you, Tony Yeboah is as good as they get. He scored one of the most stunning goals in league history and it is safe to say that English soccer had not seen the sort of athleticism, ball skill, and lethal power, that Yeboah brought to the game. Leeds fans are known for their cockiness and much has to do with the fact that Yeboah epitomized the glory days at Elland Road before the decline into bankruptcy and ignominy. Before the Leeds United transfer, Yeboah was a standout with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga where many Ghanian players received their start.
His compatriot in the Black Stars, Abedi Pele aka Abedi Ayew, per the cognoscenti is Africa's best striker to have never played the World Cup as Ghana failed to qualify in those years of his prowess. Strangely enough, Abedi Pele was spurned by the Ghanian clubs but was accepted by French Ligue club, Chamois Niort FC before moving to Lille and Marseille. He proved to be a journeyman and ended his career at Saudi Arabia's Al Ain. In between he was voted as the best foreign player when he played at Torino. He top scored for the Black Stars with 33 goals. His performance in the 1992 ACN saw Ghana enter the finals and the quality of his goals earned him the sobriquet of the African Maradona. In 2004, Pele inducted him into his list of the top 125 players of all times.
The fierce clash between Yeboah and Abedi Pele was a harbinger of the rank divisions that play out between the entrenched and internecine rivalries between tribal ethnicities which surfaced and undermined Ghanian soccer in the post Nkrumah days. The Black Stars suffered as these two big egos squabbled over the captaincy of the national team. For a generation, Ghanaian soccer went into a vacuum after the retirement of these two superstars, as the Black Stars failed to do anything notable.
In addition, the advent of these two superstars and the big salaries they enjoyed made a generation of younger players spurn national ambitions in lieu of the big money of the European leagues The same dispiriting signs were in place in the qualifiers to the 2006 World Cup as Sammy Kuffour, a standout at Roma made known that he would not consider a starting position. Luckily, the Ghanaian Football Federation threw its weight behind newly appointed coach Ratomir Dujkovic in his decision to suspend Kuffour. The tough love tactics worked and in a unprecedented build up to the World Cup, Ghana finally won its place to the World Cup for the first time.
Ghana began its ACN campaign against Guinea fittingly in the shining new Ohene Djan stadium at Accra, dedicated to the visionary who shaped Ghanaian soccer. As with every decision, renaming the Ohene Djan stadium was also mired in controversy. In recent times, Ghana has been overshadowed by the exploits of Roger Milla and Cameroun; Senegal and its band of merry men; Egypt, Al Ahly and Aboutreika, but Ghana's soccer occupies a unique place in African history, rooted in the precepts of nationalism and a strong and united Africa and as an incubator of past and contemporary talent.
Manuel Espezim Neto ,a white-haired, 74-year-old instructor from Brazil speaking at a function recently asked South Africans why it was necessary to add to the confusion in an already confused world by calling football soccer.You can take a look at some of the stuff he said here..... and maybe we need to think of a new name for soccerblog..!
Looks like Adu's move to Benfica is paying off. Here he sneaks in on the blind side to score the winning goal and put Benfica in second place in their league.
I'm thinking that Adu is finally coming into his own. Let's see if he gets a few more chances to prove it on the US team in the months ahead... 2010!
Leo Messi scores first for Argentina as he takes on three defenders. This after the Albiceleste are reduced to 10 men following Tevez's ejection. Colombia equalizes with a goal by Ruben Bustos and then goes ahead for good with Walter Moreno's goal.
Sebastian Abreu opens for Uruguay before Brazil storms back with a brace scored by Luis Fabiano. Dunga gets booed by the fans and then singles out the Argentinians for praise.
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite scored an amazing goal for Brazil - a 30-metre shot which dipped and swerved away from Peru goalkeeper Diego Penny but Peru equalised through a goal from Juan Vargas.More on the game here..
Asian champions Iraq gave Pakistan a 7-0 soccer lesson in their opening 2010 World Cup qualifier in Lahore on Monday.Mahdi Karim scored four goals and more than made up for the absence of injured captain Younis Mahmoud.
Iraq are hoping to reach the finals for the first time in 24 years and we wish them luck.Four of the seven goals have arrived on youtube and you can see them here and here and here and here.
The rest will turn up eventually I suppose.The first goal was by Nashat Akram and the other three by Karim.Match report here.
How long shall they kill our prophets?
I have to say that this makes the World Cup in SA look dangerous. What a blow!
Brazil made up for that last long boring goalless draw they played out against Colombia with a thumping win over Ecuador.As for the World Cup qualifying status - they now share share second place in the standings with Paraguay with four points each.Argentina is on top with on six points. Uruguay, Chile and Venezuela have three points each, Colombia has two, Bolivia and Peru have one and Ecuador is yet to earn a point. The top four teams advance to the World Cup, while the fifth placed finisher enters a playoff with the fourth-placed CONCACAF qualifier.
Goals of the 5 - 0 bashing of Ecuador should be visible below...
Manuel Rey of Venezuela giving us more evidence of why penalty kicks are not required if you can beat a goalkeeper like this.This goal too came in a world cup qualifier - this time between Venezuela and Ecuador.
I remember how much I loved this song. If there is a living saint on Earth, it's Nelson Mandela. Happy 90th!
Its good having San Marino in your group. You can run up the scoreboard with wins of 13-0 and 6-0. However, I am not talking about the Euro 2008 qualifiers.
Simon Kuper writes about the salubrious effects of last year's World Cup on Germany. It includes an increase in birth rate, a boost to the German economy, and most tellingly in the feel good perception of being a German.
Observer Sport's Xan Rice examines South Africa's preparation in hosting the 2010 World Cup. The naysayers bring out the same tired reasons for doubting SA's readiness. Slow pace of construction, cost overruns, high crime rate, poor infrastructure, AIDS are usually cited. More interestingly so, according to Danny Jordaan, the man behind SA's preparation, some critics have added to the litany citing the civil unrest in Zimbabwe sparked by Robert Mugabe's authoritarian rule as cause for concern.
FIFA has not exactly provided SA a vote of confidence. Franz Beckenbauer, who chaired the 2006 organising committee, in a rather racist sentiment stated that the South African plans were beset by 'big problems'. But these, he went on, 'are not South African problems, these are African problems. People are working against rather than with each other.' These statements have bolstered the hopes of alternate countries like Australia and the US taking over the World Cup. In fact, SA is taking these perceived threats seriously.
'People here started saying for the first time, "Shit, you know Fifa really might take this away from us",' Luke Alfred, a sportswriter covering the World Cup for the Johannesburg-based Sunday Times , says. 'This may not have been rooted in reality, but there was genuine concern.'
The problem have been compounded by the fact that FIFA's priority is ticket sales and TV revenues. Thus, bowing to FIFA pressure, the 50, 000 seater Athlone stadium in Cape Town which sits in the soccer heartland of the city was dropped off the list of World Cup venues. A new stadium that seats 70,000 spectators in the white tony Green Point area of Cape Town is being built. FIFA's concern was that Athlone stadium located in a blighted neighbourhood with its low cost shanties would turn off tourists and TV viewers.
FIFA's decidedly unfriendly stance against the common SA soccer fan is also behind the escalation in ticket prices. These prices can only be afforded by the more affluent European tourists, a market that FIFA is obviously targeting. So far, FIFA has been resistant to the idea of a cheaper 'Africa' ticket.The thinking is probably partially driven by the fact that substantially less tourists are expected into SA for the 2010 World Cup (500,000 compared to the 3 million tourists who came to Germany for the 2006 World Cup).
Of course, it is not just FIFA doing this, it is also the IOC. In the run up to the 2004 Olympics the IOC was considering shifting the games from Athens to Paris because it seriously doubted Greece's preparation. The IOC even took out a huge 143 million insurance policy that insured the games against cancellation. The same concern trolls who have dusted off their jackets in time to criticize SA were the ones who were questioning Greece because it was beset with cost overruns. The fact is that Greece was saddled with a security costs of more than a billion euros in a post 9/11 world. Compare that to Sydney's 2000 Olympics security budget which was five times less.
Much is being made of SA's ballooning World Cup budget which has seen it increase to a little less than 20 billion rand for stadium construction (8.4 billion rands or £604m) and infrastructure (9 billion rands or £650m). However, the cost runs are not something that unduly bothers people.
'Can we pay for the World Cup? Absolutely - an unqualified yes,' says Udesh Pillay, who is executive director of urban, rural and economic development at the Human Sciences Research Council, and leads a project tracking preparations for 2010, says in his office in Pretoria. Pillay adds that most South Africans feel that the sacrifice is worth it. 'As a country we are never going to close ranks on politics, economic plans or foreign policy,' he says. 'But we are mad about sport, so there is no argument about hosting the World Cup. We all want it.'
Here is a bit of perspective. Google Wembley Stadium cost overruns and you get a protracted list of the problems facing one of soccer's most hallowed grounds. In the end, the new Wembley which opened in time for the 19 May FA Cup final between Chelsea and Man Utd cost £975 million and took eight years. £975 million. One single stadium cost one and half times more than SA's proposed ten stadiums. £975 million for a soggy pitch.
Altitude. You heard right. In a bizarre ruling, FIFA has banned matches played in high altitude venues which they say not only gives an unfair advantage to the home country but also poses a health risk to the visiting players. Matches can now only be held at a maximum height of 8,200 feet above sea level. This means that La Paz, Bolivia's capital will not be able to host any qualifying matches because its elevation is 11,810 feet.
This ruling affects not only Bolivia but other South American countries like Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, which have a number of venues higher than the FIFA limit. Quito, Ecuador is at 9,816 feet, Bogota, Colombia is 8,661 feet, and Cuzco in Peru is at 11,154 feet. In fact, the only venue that Bolivia can now safely use for international matches is Santa Cruz which is at 1,364 feet.
There is no doubt that playing in the rarified air of La Paz and Quito have helped Bolivia and Ecuador win an overwhelming number of matches. The record at La Paz in Bolivia's World Cup qualifiers since 1994 is 16 wins, 10 draws, and 4 losses. Ecuador's record at Quito is even more impressive, 20 wins, 9 draws, and just the one loss. But FIFA's decision is undoubtedly influenced by South American heavy hitters, Brazil and Argentina.
Brazil and Argentina since 1994 have only recorded 3 miserable wins while losing 7 matches when playing Bolivia and Ecuador away. Brazil was humiliated by Bolivia losing its first ever World Cup qualifier, 0-2 at La Paz on July 25, 1993. But Rob Hughes who wrote the article very rightly mentions that Brazil's draining domestic league and over scheduling of tournaments plus the Italian Serie's reluctance to part with their Brazilian imports left a savvy coach Alberto Carlos Parriera very little time for the acclimatization of the team.
Playing in thin air does have its risks just as playing in the hot sun can increase the chances of a heatstroke. Is FIFA going to ban qualifying matches in India where the temperatures can reach a sizzling 48-50 Celsius? The common sense precaution would be proper and adequate hydration. In the case of high altitude countries an adequate amount of time to acclimatize. The heat has not given India an entry into the World Cup and the Bolivians have not qualified since 1994. This is because you have to be a good team to win away games. Ecuador has done it because it wins enough away games against tough South American opposition to qualify for the two successive World Cups.
The Argentinians and Brazilians want a pass on this one as their players don't have time from their grueling and crowded domestic and European seasons to acclimatize in La Paz or Quito. Sepp Blatter just obliged them. Just add Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru to Kenya, Greece, Iran, Chile, and many other countries that make up the soccer have nots.
At one point in soccer history, this was unthinkable. The question was how far could Colombia go in the World Cup.
1994 was a watershed year in Colombian soccer history as the team assembled was favoured to go all the way to the semi-finals. On talent alone, Colombia matched Brazil and they were better than Argentina. They defeated Argentina, 2-1 and again humiliated them, 5-0 in a the qualifying rounds. A team that boasted players of the caliber of Carlos Valderrama, Freddi Rincon, Fasutino Asprilla, "El Tren" Valencia, and Leonel Alvarez. Unfortunately, the team came unglued in the tournament as Asprilla walked out in the group phase and defensive errors cost them the matches against Romania and the USA. They won their last match against Switzerland but failed to qualify for the second round. Their disappointing performance was further marred by the tragic death of defender Andres Escobar, gunned down in his hometown of Medellin, soon after the team's return. In 1998, Colombia met their nemesis Romania, losing again. They won against Tunisia but lost to England in their final group match. Once again, they failed to get to the second round. The last two World Cups have been no shows for Colombia as their path has been blocked by Ecuador and Paraguay.
But the new coach of the national team, Jorge Luis Pinto sees a lot of promise in his young players and promises an emphasis on "a dynamic, aggressive and frontal team." He has no doubt that Colombia will make it to the next World Cup. His approach appears to be a break from the "Paco" Maturana days in which Valderama was an integral part of a team used to playing at a settled pace with slow buildups deep in the field and reliant on pinpoint passes. Pinto sees the Colombian team as a mix of older, more experienced players like Mario Yepes, Luis Perea, and Ivan Cordoba, most of them who have played in European leagues and younger talents like Sergio Herrera, Cristian Zapata, Wason Renteria, and Aquivaldo Mosquera.
Pinto's work is cut out as he has to contend with a strong Uruguayan side with Alvaro Recoba (Inter) and Diego Forlan, having a fantastic couple of seasons with Villareal. A very young Chilean squad with deeply talented strikers in Humberto Suazo (Colo Colo) and Alexis Sanchez (Colo Colo) along with more familiar names like Mark Gonzalez (Liverpool) and Luis Jimenez (Lazio). A resurgent Peru whose talented strikers Jefferson Farfan (PSV Eindhoven), Jose Paulo Guerrero (Hamburger SV), and Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich) have all impacted their teams in the European leagues in significant ways. Plus, "Nobby" Solano at 32, is still playing and very much integral to the Peru national team as well as the fortunes of the Magpies. Ecuador's experienced core of Ivan Hurtado and Giovanny Espinoza, the best center back combination, with both Tenorios and Luis Valencia up front is still intact. Paraguay's team is a work in progress with many ageing players in their twilight but there is talent in Paraguay's next generation of players, a trio that plays in Europe, Julio Dos Santos (VfL Wolfsburg), Jose Montiel (Udinese), Nelson Valdes (Borussia Dortmund) and a Newell's Old Boys squad that has the sensational Oscar Cardoza, the top scorer for his club in the Argentine league.
The Copa America hosted in Venezuela between June 26th to July 15th will be a preview to Colombia's path to the World Cup and the changes that Jorge Luis Pinto has promised.
Jorge Luis Pinto interview >>
There was little fanfare as Bob Bradley's position became permanent after all the song and dance of high flying European coaches showing up to take the US job. This is a good move because Bradley has been on a winning streak and the players respect him. There is plenty that needs to be done from now on till the World Cup in 2010. Bradley has a reputation for building teams from scratch and three years will be a long enough period for him to do exactly that.
Bradley's full time status will be tested when the US team meets China at San Jose on June 2, followed by the June 6-24 CONCACAF Gold Cup — a tournament Arena won in 2002 and 2005 — and the June 26-July 15 Copa America in Venezuela.
I think it all said and done a good thing that there is no big name that has taken over coaching the US team. This takes the focus off on us and we can concentrate on building the team without all the hype. The 2006 team did not do well on inflated expectations. Lets not go down that route again.
Greg Lalas has more >>
Definitely not to the Premiership. There are rumours that Houllier might be considering the Newcastle job. Houllier is reportedly dissatisfied in Lyons and is looking to leave. The only position that he would like to leave Lyons for is to become the technical director of the French soccer federation. Houllier's strength lies in developing youth players and his stint with player development did more to help France win the 1998 World Cup than anyone else. As a coach he seems to make poorer match and player decisions (Liverpool fans will agree) but his vision for country and club seem to yield benefits in the long run.
Meanwhile there are even more rumours that Houllier and Man Utd's assistant coach Carlos Quieroz are being tapped for the US coaching job replacing interim coach Bob Bradley.
Houllier's strength in developing player talent makes him an attractive choice for a technical and player development director and is what the US national team needs right now so that they can reap the benefits for the 2010 World Cup campaign. Sunil Gulati should pursue Houllier's employment in that role. However I think Bob Bradley should be made permanent as coach. He seems to be producing results.
South Africa's problem is not that it lacks the funds, the will, or the infrastructure to host the World Cup successfully, or to reduce the crime rate to ensure the safety of the 500,000 fans expected to watch the sporting greatest spectacle in the world. SA will prove its naysayers wrong emphatically.
However, as a soccer lover, one has to be concerned about the performance of the Bafana Bafana. SA's FIFA ranking is 61 and in Africa, SA is rated 13, behind Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Angola. The top five spots are claimed by Cameroun, Cote D"Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana, and Egypt.In recent matches, SA has drawn against Congo, beaten Zambia and Chad. Only the win against Zambia by 1-0 in the CAN 2008 preliminary can be considered encouraging as its FIFA ranking is a comparable 69.
In World Cup 1994, hosts US crashed out of the World Cup in the first round. It was the quickest exit by a host country. Other countries traditionally not considered powerhouses, hosting the World Cup, have either lived up to or surpassed expectations. Chile in 1962 finished third, South Korea in 2002 finished fourth and Japan, the co-host reached the quarterfinals. Mexico, hosts in 1970 and 1986 also entered the quarterfinals. So SA, as the host country will be under a lot of pressure to do well. The question is does SA have the coach and the players to get to a more exalted position than a first round exit and improve on their 1998 and 2002 appearances?
Is Alberto Carlos Parreira the right person to coach SA? I have my doubts. Parriera is a stodgy coach given to playing by the book. His choice of players in the Brazilian squad reveals a defensive ideology and a bias towards age and experience. In the 2006 World Cup, he completely overlooked Robinho, the one player that gave zest and zing to a moribund attack. His poster boy is Dunga, an enforcer, who famously declared the death of the Tele Santana days. Dunga was Brazil's captain when Parreira coached them to their 1994 World Cup win. The win came after a downbeat Brazil completely eschewed their attacking flair throughout the tournament.
Parriera also lacks the charisma of a Klinsmann, who took a German team that lacked self confidence, made them believe in themselves, injected creativity and an attacking flair and shocked his countrymen when he took them to the semi-finals, a position that was thought impossible by 60% of Germans before the World Cup began. He has taken the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia to the World Cup but they failed to get past the first round. This invites the inevitable comparison to Guus Hiddink who moulded the South Korean team leading them to the 2002 World Cup semis and the 2006 Socceroos who were pipped by the Italians in the Round of 16. Hiddink famously took the Socceroos to their second World Cup when he was hired just four months before the qualifiers. He immediately turned them into a more versatile team with his defensive schemes. In this endeavour he was fortunate to be assisted by Johann Neeskens who played with the great Oranje teams of 1974 and 1978, and was steeped in the total football philosophy which changed the one dimensional Socceroos.
The fit between Parriera and SA seems to be open ended because the present team actually have players with very good defensive capabilities but they seem to lack versatility in the midfield and in attack. Both Aaron Mokoena and Naseef Morris are excellent defenders backed up by a bonafide star in Rowan Fernandes in goal, with Benni McCarthy as their only consistent striker. The midfield is anchored by the capable Steven Pienaar. Parreira has to do what he has never done before, focus on building the attack and create more options. This means developing and managing talent as strikers like McCarthy, Siyabonga Nomvethe, Shaun Bartlett, and Sibusiso Zuma are going to be well over 30 when the World Cup begins. A huge challenge, as Parriera woefully mismanaged the talent of Kaka and Robinho and over-relied on an ineffectual Ronaldinho and an out of shape Ronaldo in the last World Cup. Lebohang Mokoena is a rising talent at 20 and has already established himself as a top striker in the SA Premiership. Will he and Surprise Moriri flourish under Parriera? South Africa has to look to the CAF and friendlies for match practice, so unlike other World Cup qualifying countries, they have an abbreviated schedule. A variation of an infamous quote, " You go to the World Cup with the players you have, not the players you want." Parreira is more noted for doing far less with the talent at his disposal.
Carlos Alberto Parreira: World Cup record in 21 matches
Matches won: 9
Matches lost: 8
Matches drawn: 4
Goals for: 27
Goals against: 29
Guus Hiddink: World Cup record in 15 matches
Matches won: 8
Matches drawn: 3
Matches lost: 4
Goals for: 22
Goals against: 13
Correction: The US made it to the second round of the 1994 World Cup. H/t to Zach for drawing my attention. However, the point is that all World Cup hosts not considered top soccer playing countries have managed to get past embarrassing first round exits.
Sepp Blatter was interviewed on BBC's new sports programme "Inside Sports' and it turned out to be a fluffball. Blatter was not asked one question about the illicit payments or the ISL scandal that should soon see Blatter making court appearances in Switzerland. Inside Sports could have turned on the screws as Blatter started listing the flaws in soccer, diving, racism, fan violence, cheating, doping, all issues that Blatter could have done more to tackle but the Beeb let him off. Blatter is soccer's Alberto Gonzalez, incompetent, corrupt, and a survivor because of the patronage he enjoys from the establishment.
Meanwhile, Blatter continues to undermine South Africa's preparations by mentioning contingency plans to move the World Cup to Australia, England or Mexico should SA fail yet at the same time expressing full confidence in SA's ability to host the 2010 World Cup. Talk about bait and switch.
Blatter's statements already has Australia salivating at the prospect of getting the World Cup.
Danny Jordaan, CEO of the 2010 World Cup responds to Blatter's statements >>
The UN has 192 member states and since its inception in 1945 has had 8 Secretary Generals, the effective head of the UN. They serve 5 year terms which are renewable and most have served two terms. There is a practice of regional rotation that has ensured nomination of Secretary Generals from smaller countries. So far of the eight, 2 have been from Africa, 2 from Asia, 3 from Western Europe, and 1 from South America. The UN started with 50 member nations and has grown almost four times. To reflect this change, the all powerful UN Security Council is contemplating increasing its permanent members from the present five to fifteen and bring in more regional powers like Egypt, Brazil, and India.
FIFA came into existence in 1904 with seven members. It presently has 205 members. It too has seen 8 presidents. All have been Europeans except for Joao Havelange, from Brazil who in actuality is a displaced Belgian. Havelange was in charge of FIFA from 1974 to 1998. His protege and right hand man, Sepp Blatter took over from him after his retirement and has been assured of his third term. In 2010, between Havelange and Blatter, two men would have ruled FIFA and soccer for 36 years. Meanwhile, we call soccer the global game.
The game's future has moved to Asia and Africa. In Japan, soccer has displaced baseball as the number one sport. It will take a few years but cricket will fade to the background as the Socceroos and the A-League continue to make inroads Down Under. The Premiership and most of the top notch European leagues enjoy an unprecedented global audience largely on the strength of their African stars. The Africa Cup of Nations is now considered one of the most competitive cups, beating out monolithic encounters between Argentina and Brazil to decide the Copa America, and every bit as contested as the Euro Cup.
Is this change reflected at the top? Two men in charge of a sport close on four decades. And not just any sport. A sport viewed by billions in the most unparalleled sporting event of the world. A sport that has the power to change the GDP of a country. Or for two countries to wage war against each other. Two men in charge of an organization that define the game, its rules, its conduct, and its vision. Such an exacting hold would be called a dictatorship by any other name. And the best part is, there is nary a coup. If only Nikolai Ceaucescu had known of this job!
The combination of Havelange and Blatter has proved destructive. Both are plutocrats, grown arrogant with perpetual incumbency, beholden to business interests, with not a whit of love for the game. Eduardo Galeano, one of the keenest observers of the game, tells this story of Havelange during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. The matches were all scheduled in the blazing heat of the afternoon as it ensured the best possible viewing time for European TV. The German goalkeeper, Harald Schumacher, told the story: "I sweat. My throat is dry. The grass is like dried shit: hard, strange, hostile. The sun shines straight down on the stadium and strikes us right in the head. We cast no shadows on the ground. They say this is good for television." Was the sale of the spectacle more important than the quality of the play? The players are there to kick not to cry, and Havelange put an end to that maddening business: "They should play and shut their traps," he decreed.
Havelange was only doing a favour for his good friend Guillermo Canedo, Televisa's VP and president of its international network. Televisa and FIFA owned the TV rights to the lucrative European market. Televisa also owns Mexican soccer. The Mexican Football Federation had no part to play in the World Cup other than to send a roster. This sweet deal was arranged to ensure a Canedo vote, as he was unsurprisingly, FIFA's vice president of the Central American nations. This cynical life lesson was internalized well by Havelange minion Sepp Blatter, and in the last election, he bought the votes of Jack Warner, the powerful FIFA vice president of the Caribbean nations by ensuring that Warner's company got the exclusive rights to TV revenues for the 2002 World Cup, reversing a previous arrangement with that of a rival group. Vote rigging ensured Sepp Blatter's survival after the ISL scandal broke loose.
But what would you expect from a mentor like Havelange who warned:"Soccer is a commercial product and should be sold wisely." No wonder a player like Maradona was hated by both Havelange and Blatter. Because he dared bring up the issue of labour rights for soccer players. A cold hearted Blatter dismissed this by replying, "The last star to come from Argentina was Di Stefano." You realize how little Blatter loves this sport. In one statement he condemned not just one great player but two and a whole nation.
Sepp Blatter's re-election is reason enough for term limits. Soccer deserves better. And there are capable men who have done yeoman work. Mohammad Bin Hammam, the AFC president whose work has pioneered Asian resurgence in soccer. Saburo Kawabuchi, the man behind Japan's wildly successful J-League. Ohene Djan, the impresario behind Ghana's impressive strides in African and world soccer. Soccer's future steward should be chosen on the basis of services to soccer, not fealty to the CEO of a boot manufacturing company.
Right now effigies of Indian cricketers are being burned and their families threatened with dire consequences. And for those who want more immediate retribution, lookalikes are being accosted on the streets and subjected to verbal and physical abuse. Grief stricken fans have died of heart attacks. All this because India made a quick and unseemly exit from the Cricket World Cup presently going on in the West Indies, losing to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Done in by their South Asian brethren. A similar fate befell Pakistan as they crashed out losing to Ireland and West Indies.
There have been disgraceful exits and heart breaking losses from international sports that have shaken other countries leading to national tragedies like the death of Andres Escobar after Colombia, a favourite of many to get to the higher rounds of the 1994 World Cup, crashed out. Or the 1980 Miracle on Ice, a team of US underdogs took on the mighty Soviet Union in an ice hockey game in the Lake Placid Winter Olympics, beating them, and going onto win the gold medal. For the Soviets it led to a collective state of shock and despair. The defeat led to more Russian players joining the the lucrative NHL, and some say hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union by 1991.
But nothing compares cricket's hold on the Indian sub-continent. The Cricket World Cup, is a world cup in name only. It should rightly be called the South Asian Cup. There are just 16 teams playing the cup but of these countries, India and Pakistan provide about 70% of the fans and viewership. With these two countries gone, the stadiums in the Caribbean are empty, an indication that even in the host country, cricket does not attract the same fervour as it did a few decades ago, losing ground to the popularity of soccer. There have been thousands of airlines and hotels cancellations, tickets are now selling dirt cheap on Ebay, and companies have pulled their advertisements and sponsorships.
There is every indication that the school going population in India is not as addicted to cricket as their parents generation, brought up on the euphoria of India's version of the Miracle on Ice, the 1983 World Cup win over the mighty West Indies. That euphoria sustained many mediocre Indian teams in their quest to repeat but they only succeeded in failing. The new generation has seen enough to realize that the present group of feckless and overpaid cricketers and certainly cricket as a colonial past-time is out of touch with today's interconnected and globalized world, the essence of which is captured in soccer. Cricket's appeal as a gentleman's game has long ebbed, with the nail in the coffin (an unfortunate expression) the murder of Bob Woolmer, the Pakistani coach, probably done in by a cabal of bookies who actually control cricket nowadays. It is time for India to turn to soccer and the authorities to advocate the sport. For the thousands of Indian youngsters who think watching Arsenal is way cool could all be potential fans of a successful Indian soccer team. And success not defined as a pie in the sky promise as qualifying for the World Cup but more realistically for the next Asian Cup.
