It started last week on the day of Bafana Bafana’s second game against Uruguay when I was filling up my car at the petrol station. A white woman – silver haired, well groomed, about 70 years old – was busy having her shiny new Mercedes (some class or the other) filled up as well. She was wearing a yellow and green Bafana Bafana shirt. Her car was adorned with the ridiculous South African flag mirror socks and two South African flags attached to the back windows.
The petrol attendant – distinguished grey beard, high cheekbones, yellow Makarapa of the petrol company on his head – bantered with her about Bafana’s chances. Attending to her car, he started singing the national anthem in a loud but beautiful voice. The old women joined in, her thin but solid voice harmonizing with his deep baritone. They sang the whole anthem, including those bits about “die blou van onse hemel” and “let us live and strive for freedom in South Africa our land”.
Everybody stared and smiled and nodded to each other. Some clapped and whistled. I wiped away the tears and had one of those incredibly naive and romantic but rather trite thoughts: Why can’t we live like this all the time?
Since then, Bafana had lost disastrously and won proudly and had crashed out of the World Cup. But I am still wondering about that moment and what to make of all this emotion around the World Cup. Does Zackie Achmat have a point when he says he refuses to wave the South African (or any other country’s) flag because it is inherently nationalistic and problematic? On the Writing Rights Blog he writes:
Racism, chauvinism and nationalism have always been part of the seedy underbelly of sport. I have flown flags in the past. They were flags that expressed my political views: the ANC flag symbolising the Freedom Charter when the party was banned; the red flag of socialism and the rainbow flag to signify equality for all. Today, World Cup nationalism in South Africa hides our xenophobia and it pretends that racial and class tensions do not exist.
Zackie is, of course, correct when he warns that the World Cup nationalism won’t erase the tensions, contradictions and injustices in our society. Nationalism, even the relatively benign nationalism associated with hosting the World Cup, may well be used to paper over the cracks and may allow some people to pretend that racism, sexism, poverty, corruption, greed and the arrogance of the rich do not exist in our country.
Holding hands and singing Kumbaja (or the national anthem) while cheering on 22 players on a pitch chasing a round ball will not end the deeply ingrained distrust, the pockets of arrogance and prejudice, the deep divisions based on class, race and ethnicity that exist in our land.
And yet…. and yet… I want to hang on to the magic of that moment at the petrol station.
This does not mean I wish to give the crooks at Fifa a free ride. It does not mean I want to stop being critical about what is wrong in our society and that I do not believe one must continue to look for ways to address those wrongs. Neither does it mean that I want to forget the past or that I believe that it is really possible to engage in constructive dialogue with people whose unacknowledged racism and colonial attitudes I find very difficult not to name – even when I am accused of “labeling” people.
I want to hang on to that magic moment because it suggests to me that apart from the political mobilization, the resistance and the day to day struggle of individuals and organisations, something else can also make a difference (no matter how small) and can also contribute to the creation of a better and more just society.
The World Cup nationalism, so it seems to me, has produced that “something else”. It has allowed some people from different races and classes and ideological persuasions to see each other as human beings and to connect with each other as human beings – not as representatives of their race or class. We are all people who eat and sleep, who love and hate and even have sex, who laugh and cry, who want to be accepted and want to be loved. Yes, we are not all the same. Our material interests and cultural assumptions often differ. But we have much in common, too, merely because we are human beings.
It’s probably naive to think that moments like this will change racists into non-racial social justice campaigners, that it will change greedy and corrupt politicians into upright citizens who care about the vulnerable and the marginalized. But maybe a few people will remember moments like the one I experienced last week at the petrol station the next time they want to make sweeping generalizations about people because they happen to be white or black, rich or poor (I am an optimist, after all, as well as an incorrigible romantic).
Hey, it’s not much, but its enough for me.
Let’s face it, very few people did not feel a sence of national pride when we beat France yesterday. I’m not using the word “we” without reason, Bafana Bafana represented South Africa, and therefore every South African on the field.
Any doctor will tell you that all medicine have side effects. The world cup brought some side effects with it, as we all know. But it also restored some pride. We showed the world that we have the ability to host the world cup. It brought with it billions of rands of publicity for our country. Yesterday our team bowed out with their heads held high. When they were drawn to play in the pool of death I for one was convinced that they would loose all thee games. Then came the draw against Mexico, the win against the world no 9, (under correction).
I am a proud South African today. If it wasn’t for the world cup in South Africa, I would have been the normal depressed South African I usually am.
@ Chris: hear,hear. I share your sentiments wholeheartedly.
Zackie really loves being at the centre of all attention. Being upstaged by the World Cup must be such a blow to his vuvuzela.
Hey, Herman
Please don’t drag Zackie’s vuvuzela into this.
@Herman
Being upstaged by the World Cup must be a “blow to his (Zackie) vuvuzela. Iyo, he must be having sensitive vuvuzela. I am sure he is enjoying the free blow job from FIFA.
I think the other fellow (Matthew Engel) from the FT was more to the point on the Jujuzela than the pompous fart Peter Apsden when he wrote-
“You may find yourself agreeing with the spokesman for the American National Hockey League who warned: “Anyone who brings a vuvuzela to an NHL game will be killed, cryogenically frozen until they can be brought back to life, then killed again.”
I wonder what the brilliant John Adams would make of the Jujuzela? I find John’s tunes fantastically lyrical and a joy to hear… not much like the incessant drone of the Jujuzela.
@ Pierre”
“I am an optimist, after all, as well as an incorrigible romantic.”
Pierre is right.
Tim Cohen, Businessday
However, my actual beef with patriotism is not with waving flags and blowing monotonal instruments made in a foreign country, which is all great fun. It’s what is regarded as patriotic in SA and what is not. It is absurd that patriotism really has become wrapped up only with the big outward show.
Actually, I think being a teacher or a policeman in SA is perhaps the most real form of patriotism that you can achieve in this country. Frankly, waving flags comes way behind honest cops and dedicated teachers in my book.
Patriotism in SA is too much about showing off and too little about doing the right thing.
In a way, the best guide to patriotism is honesty. The worst guide is how many flags you have on your car. Anybody can do that.
If that is the case, then Congress of South African Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi is SA’s biggest patriot.
His criticism of President Jacob Zuma and his Cabinet for not taking “decisive action” against “corrupt” ministers, was not only honest and brave — particularly because he actually named some names — but also patriotic.
My favourite quote on patriotism is not the many sarcastic quotes available on the topic but actually something said by militant US leader Malcolm X: “You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.”
A big vuvuzela blow for that.
I was at the stadium last night and I must confess the atmosphere was electric. The mexican wave of Vuuvuzelas was awsome, anyone who has a problem with it must go and jump in the nearest cliff. The organisation of the event was world class and Ghana represented Africa with pride. For the first time in my life I was escorted by blue light and showered with FIFA’s Hospitality. Big up to SA for hosting such a great event!!!!! Came home with paper bags full of goodies and gave some to my helper. For hosting 9.5 OUT of 10.
Now lets come to Team Bafana. It has been a disaster in the making for a while now , since 96 to be pricise. After winning the African Cup and being ranked no1 we have dropped to about 17 and did not qualify for the last African Cup AND Olympics under 23. All of this in a space of 14 yrs. Whoever thought that we were going to pull a rabbit out of a sack and perform wonders this time must be very dishonest.
I have no doubt that SA will rise again to be the best in Africa, we just have to start doing the right things and it is very simple. DeVELOPMENT is the magic word. We need 10 more (Transnet Schools of Excellency) all over the country and get soccer people to run soccer not politicians. It must start soon, we are playing our first African Cup qualifier in September and we need a new coach. I am good soccer follower but cannot name even 5 under 23 players and cant even remember last time they played, same for the under 20. We need competitive junior leagues and draw talent from all corners of this country. Is it not about time that elite schools have an equal of the Craven week for soccer or they only participate in FIFA events. What happened to Chappies little league for the under 10.
2014 we will have to qualify based on the strength of our team. Gavin Hunt said you have a problem when you have a team that is controlled by fear of loosing.
Lastly the disease that infected soccer is slowly creeping into Cricket , if we are not carefull. Thanks to Blue Bulls and other stakeholders Rugby is improving if not manataining its standard. There is room for improvement especially on transformation and other aspects.
Officially we are the first country to crash out of first round of the World Cup and France(ESPECIALLY THE COACH) wanted us to win by all means. We blew it. I do not blame the players, they were like an ill prepared army going to war and they died with their boots on.
Now that the FIFA tenders are gone, lets focus on the real issues.
LETS STOP CELEBRATING LOSSES AND DRAWS, START WINNING.
Gwebecimele says:
June 24, 2010 at 9:59 am
Maybe we should all lobby very hard to get a Minister of Sport!
Correction
Officially we are the first HOSTING country to crash out of first round of the World Cup.
@ Maggs
Fully agree. He is a strong candidate for Cabinet reshuffle.
This magic moment is like peeing on your pants, WARM FUZZY FEELING for a short while and later realise you are wet, cold and stinking.
Gwebecimele, why do you say the coach must go?
Gwebecimele says:
June 24, 2010 at 11:53 am
“Officially we are the first HOSTING country to crash out of first round of the World Cup.”
Now let’s see if any of the responsible people do the honourable thing and, er, go for redeployment.
Maybe the Portfolio Committee on Sport will be the first.
On the upside I hear that the organisation at the matches has been exemplary, including Transnet with an outstanding service – well done to everyone.
Pierre (for the first time I will not refer to you as Prof) I do think that your article is not on Bafana, how good or bad they played, nor is it about football development or the lack thereof, nor on the merits or demerits of FIFA and the World Cup in general. I have many views on those matters, but rather I think that your article is about how much more united we are as South Africans than we realise, how far we have come albeit that there are so many challenges and equally divergent views on the reasons or solutions for those challenges. I shall endeavour to stick to that aspect.
There is not one single aspect of your article I disagree with. So all I can do is to add, strengthen, and embellish.
I was at the game against Uruguay, with my kids and partner. I was sad when people began leaving, especially when the penalty was given and scored. But I noted that the majority still stayed although a critical mass left. I have many views on why we could not expect miracles when we did not prioritise development especially development centred on our people as opposed to concrete stadiums.
But Bafana Bafana managed to do something that no-one else has been able to achieve in our country. They have brought us together in a real way, they have reminded us that we are South Africans, and we like being South Africans. For too long we only get together to celebrate, like democracy in 94, or Madiba being released in 1990, or winning the Rugby WC in 95 and 2007, and so forth. But to be united we also need to mourn together, we cannot only come together when things are good, we must be able to come together when things are bad. Bafana’s loss to Uruguay and the dream of possibly reaching the second round showed that we can be miserable together and remain together.
When I begn leaving the stadium, we stopped to go to the toilets. I took my little boy to the gents and my partner took my daughter to the ladies. Just before the gents, a young boy of about 10 years old, was being consoled by his Mom. She was explaining to him that the players were nervous and thats possibly why we lost. The little boy looked very sad. His Mom was sad for him, but I did not think that she was really sad about the team. As we entered the toilet another little boy also about 10 years old, was exiting the toilet with his Dad. The little boy was sobbing unconsolably. He was really crying, and saying “I’m so sad, Dad, I’m so sad,” to which his Dad replied, “We’re all sad, my boy, we’re all sad.” Like the Mom, I did not think that the Dad was as sad as his son.
I guess I have to mention it, although I do not know how relevant it is, both those families were White. For me that made the entire World Cup worthed. Two little boys showed me how much our country means to us, in both sad and happy times. I know that even if Mom and Dad tried to explain its because SAFA officials use too much of the money and so forth, it will not take away the intense feeling those boys have for their country. I now live in sincere hope that on that night, and especially the next morning, those boys parents became a little bit more patriotic, without losing the critical views they have on the state of the nation.
I attribute this victory to Bafana Bafana.
Sorry for the long post, and hope you actually read it.
@ Brett
His contract is epxiring this month. Anyway he failed to qualify for the African Cup, based on that I would have fired him long before the world Cup. Secondly he recommended his Brother-in-law (Santana) for the job, who performed dismally. I have no doubt that both of them are laughing all the way to the bank, having pocketed respectively ABOUT R20 millio and R12 MILLION for doing nothing.
@ Donovan
How wish those boys can grow protected from the evils of our society.
I would never doubt tears from a 10 yr old but flags and mirror covers are just a show off.
This moment like all the others will pass and we will drift back to our respective positions.
Just release EE Report, Income Survey, Appoint new Judges then you will hear the real SA speaking.
Only a just and fair society will heal SA.
Let us deal with our past in an honest manner!!!!
Conflicting statements, the circus has begun.
http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/TournamentNews/New-Bafana-coach-chosen-20100624
Seems to me we should be distributing a petetion begging Parreira to stay.
I hope there is a plan to get darkies into swimming pools and other sporting codes or else we will also walk away without Gold medals..
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-06-24-an-eye-on-the-olympics
Ai Ai… We are HUMAN!!
Deal with it!
Thanks Donovan
Gwebecimele, in a democracy (unlike in North Korea, say) it is perfectly normal for people to differ on government policies like BEE, the appointment of judges and the like. In fact if we did not differ there would not be any democracy, so obviously after the World Cup when normal life resumes there will be political differences. Some politicians will steal our money and other politicians will whine and complain about absolutely everything no matter how trivial. But underneath that, perhaps, (and I said I was being optimistic) the nature of some of the disagreements between individual people might be a bit different. Where people treat each others as human beings this does not require that they agree or even that they must respect each other, but at least that they must treat each other as human beings and not merely as representatives of a specific race or class or gender. Its the human dignity thing again, I am afraid.
Pierre wrote “Everybody stared and smiled and nodded to each other. Some clapped and whistled. I wiped away the tears and had one of those incredibly naive and romantic but rather trite thoughts: Why can’t we live like this all the time?”
Hahaha, I love it! Why not, indeed!
I admit to driving around with our ‘ridiculous’ mirror socks and window flags with undignified pride, and love it when I see the SA flag flying so proudly everywhere …
… and thanks, too, for your little intro into human dignity, something that REALLY CAN make a big difference to us being able to live together, all of us …
Vanaand word daar meer bottels wyn in Italia gebreek as wat daar gedrink word. What a waste.
I was also struck by the genuine hospitality of the people of Soweto towards the tens of thousands of Blue Bulls supporters at the Super 14 semi-finals and finals.
I think that many whites need to reflect on that and think – if a Kaiser chiefs vs Orlando Pirates game was aarranged to be held at Loftus, would the Loftus faithfull welcome the tens of thousands of Chiefs and Pirates supporters in the same way?
I have always believed that some of the best antidotes to fear, ignorance and racism are meaningful “engagement” with each other – spend a weekend in Soweto – or sandton as the case may be and see if all your opinions, beliefs and fears are grounded in fact and reality.
@ PdV
Agreed.
I am referring more to those who want to oppose anything and everything.
Brett says
“Seems to me we should be distributing a petetion begging Parreira to stay.”
Really!!!
I hope you are following the World Cup and recognising that Ghana the under 20 World Champs, boasting the youngest squad is showing other African countries on how to develop national teams. Hiring highly paid foreign coaches has never worked in soccer AND it did not work in SA,Nigeria,Cameroon,England etc.
Not really. I do not follow soccer. If I were king sport on TV would be banned. I watch when my country plays and try to forget in the year 2010 one of the main concerns of the dressing room is muti.
As a casual obeserver, there does seem to be a vast improvement in our national team. Better muti?
Gwebecimele, how much was Raymond Domenech paid? Marcello Lippi? Bert Van Marwijk? Fabio Capello?
I take your point about ‘back-in-the-real-world’ anyway, Gwebecimele!
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=112994
STATE departments and entities have so far spent R60million of taxpayers money to buy World Cup tickets.
This is despite a warning by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan that such expenditure was illegal.
Yesterday, a reply to a DA parliamentary question revealed that PetroSA had spent R12,5million on World Cup tickets.
“The department of energy, through PetroSA, joins a shameful list of government departments and state entities that have spent taxpayers’ money on World Cup tickets – even while the majority of South Africans either cannot afford to purchase tickets, or have been unable to do so,” the DA said yesterday.
So far the expenditure on World Cup tickets by state enterprises that has been revealed currently include:
Department of Trade and Industry: R 16 738 960 on 3054 tickets;
Department of Science and Technology: R 25200 on 10 tickets;
The Department of Tourism: R918973 on 180 tickets;
Department of Public Service and Administration: R65400 on 25 tickets;
Department of Communication: R5,2million on 2786 tickets;
Industrial Development Corporation (Department of Trade and Industry): R12million on tickets;
Eskom (Department of Public Enterprises): R12million on tickets;
PetroSA (Department of Energy): R12,5million on 1000 tickets;
CEF (Department of Energy): R1,4million.
The party is moving on!!!!
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/Comments?id=161708610
At least someone is not scared of Blatter and his Brigade.
Did SA get their apology for the penalty against Uruguay ? Some are more equal than others.
French parliament holds hearing on World Cup fiasco
Jun 30, 2010 2:01 PM | By ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU
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Lawmakers involved in a closed-door hearing about France’s World Cup fiasco grumbled that coach Raymond Domenech refused to take any responsibility for his team’s misbehavior and offered no real explanations.
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Photograph by: Adam Davy
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Lawmakers said Domenech, who was retiring, tried to pin blame on the press during the parliamentary hearing. Prominent lawmaker Jean-Francois Cope said his testimony “wasn’t very dignified.”
Many had kinder words for French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes, who plans to resign this week, and who also testified at the hearing held by the National Assembly’s commission on culture and education.
The hearing went ahead despite a warning from FIFA about French government meddling in football affairs. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the national team risks suspension if President Nicolas Sarkozy or political leaders interfere in the running of the federation.
Lawmakers replied that it wasn’t Blatter’s place to tell them how to do their jobs.
“It isn’t FIFA’s role to threaten French lawmakers; we’re in a democracy and parliamentarians have the right to hear anyone they want,” said lawmaker Eric Ciotti.
“This isn’t just about football, it’s about France: It’s our honor that’s at stake,” added lawmaker Jacques Remiller.
Remiller said the whole hearing was “disappointing and not convincing at all.”
“There will have to be more resignations at the federation, because the problems are deeply, deeply rooted,” he said.
France, which won the 1998 World Cup and was runner-up four years ago, failed to win a game. Worse than that, players went on strike at training after forward Nicolas Anelka was sent home for insulting Domenech.
Domenech added yet more dismay by refusing to shake hands with rival coach Carlos Alberto Parreira after France’s 2-1 loss to host South Africa.
Lawmakers said Domenech blamed L’Equipe newspaper, which printed details of Anelka’s expletive-laden tirade, for the disarray.
Domenech also said the paper misquoted the comments.
“All Domenech says is, ‘it’s the press, it’s the press,”’ complained lawmaker Bernard Debre.
Domenech entered and left the hearing through a side door, carefully avoiding reporters.
Domenech told lawmakers he refused to shake hands with the South Africa coach because Parreira had reportedly made disparaging comments about the French team to reporters, Cope said.
“You can find that a convincing argument, or not,” he said, clearly indicating he didn’t.
Cope added that lawmakers were planning to offer a series of measures to “modernize the governance of the French federation.”
@ Maggs
At least someone is noticing.
http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/NationalNews/ANCYL-wants-Stofile-fired-20100630
Gwebecimele says:
June 30, 2010 at 16:27 pm
Nicely – about time too.
I think the Min of Police and Justice must be commended for their “rapid response” – now for that to be kept up.
Maybe FIFA will be a candidate political party for our next general elections – they certainly know how to get government to move. Blatter for RSA President?
President suspends Nigeria for two years
June 30 2010 at 04:36PM
Abuja – Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the national soccer team from international competition for the next two years following their poor performance in the World Cup, a senior adviser said on Wednesday.
“Mr President has directed that Nigeria will withdraw from all international football competition for the next two years to enable Nigeria to reorganise its football,” Ima Niboro, a special adviser to Goodluck Jonathan, told reporters.
“This directive became necessary following Nigeria’s poor performance in the ongoing Fifa World Cup.”
Nigeria were knocked out in the first round. – Reuters
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=2871&art_id=nw20100630163251806C441665
Mexico City – Javier Aguirre on Wednesday quit as Mexico coach, three days after the national team was knocked out of the World Cup in a 3-1 loss to Argentina in the round of 16.
It marked the fifth straight time that Mexico has been eliminated in the second round of the World Cup.
“I’m the person responsible,” said Aguirre, adding that he’d made a commitment to reach the quarterfinals.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=2871&art_id=nw20100630223457767C369667
In SA no one is responsible not even the players on the field.
Now after the exit, Pitso has an opinion about playing one striker. I hope he does not get the job since he has been part of this decline for more than 4yrs without any credible suggestions.
By the way, we paid R144 million to Perreira and his team over 36 months.
FIFA is disabling govts on acting on corrupt/incompetent National Association Officials, way to go Nigeria now you can sort out your national issues.
Prophets of doom get it wrong
July 10 2010 at 11:08AM
By Peter Auf der Hyde
The warnings were there for all who would hear them: the stadiums would not be ready and if they were, they would be empty; visitors would fall prey to criminal elements; and terrorists would stage an attack.
Even Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness said he would not travel to South Africa.
“I was never a fan of the World Cup being held in South Africa, or anywhere on the African continent, as long as safety aspects are not clarified 100 per cent,” he said a few months ago.
With one day left to go it was pretty apparent that the prophets of doom who had forecast a disastrous World Cup in South Africa got it wrong.
- Stadiums would not be ready: Strikes and problems in finishing the construction of stadiums led many to doubt that all the stadiums would be ready in time for the finals. When FIFA scrapped the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth as a Confederations Cup venue, citing problems in finishing the stadium as a reason, it was seen as an indication that there were problems with the stadiums. These doubts, however, were proven fruitless as all 10 venues were in excellent condition for the games.
- Empty Stadiums: The stadiums would be empty, it was feared. And certainly football’s controlling body FIFA was concerned at the slow sale of tickets with just a few months to go. A number of initiatives kick-started the sales, and with government departments and parastatal organisations buying tickets, attendance at the finals topped the 3 million mark during the second semi-final match in Durban – a figure reached only twice before: in the US in 1994 and Germany in 2006.
- Security: Security concerns were by far the biggest fear and the country’s high crime rate, with 50 murders a day, was considered as one of the reasons why the number of estimated foreign visitors was decreased from 450,000 to 350,000. South African officials however increased the police force, and 46,000 police and 300 surveillance cameras ensured a near-crime free tournament that saw virtually no World Cup-related incidents.
- Terrorism Attacks: In the run-up to the tournament there was a lot of speculation that terrorist groups would stage attacks on World Cup teams and games. These fears increased when an alleged al-Qaeda supporter arrested in Iraq said he wanted to attack the Dutch and Danish teams at the World Cup. Shortly before the June 11 opening game, Zimbabwe police arrested two Pakistanis who were en route to South Africa. One of them was wanted on an Interpol arrest warrant, which was said to be for terrorism.
- Infrastructural Problems: Another fear was that the country would simply not be able to cope with the influx of visitors and there would be huge problems with the transportation of fans to the stadiums. And although there was one huge problem at the semi-final in Durban between Germany and Spain, when several planes with fans failed to arrive in time because they could not land as private jets blocked the runway, it was an isolated incident.
Bafana Weakness: Another fear – and one that even Fifa president Joseph Blatter addressed – was that the South African team would simply be too weak to be competitive. Even though Bafana Bafana became the first host to be knocked out in the first round, they did not disgrace themselves and came close to securing an unlikely spot in the knock-out stages with a victory in their last group match against France.
Thus the prophets of doom saw all their predictions fail as the World Cup did not disintegrate into the chaos they had foreseen.
Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said at a press conference at which the 2014 World Cup emblem was unveiled that he had never doubted South Africa.
“After 2006 everybody thought that we would never again see such a World Cup with so much perfection. But in the last few years I never had the feeling that South Africa would not be ready.
“I always said that they would host a beautiful World Cup and that is how it happened.”
The Brazilian-born coach, who won the World Cup with the Selecao in 1994, said that his native country should follow in South Africa’s example.
“The Brazilians have to follow in the footsteps of the South Africans, who had to overcome many problems. I am certain that Brazil will be able to stage a World Cup similar to the South African one.”
Whether they manage to do that will only be known in four years, but it seems likely that many of the prophets of doom, who predicted the worst for South Africa, will now move their efforts to the Brazilian World Cup, which they are sure will end in disaster. – Sapa-dpa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=2871&art_id=nw20100710105236827C530406&singlepage=1
Maggs is right.
I personally view the vilification of Caster and the malicious scepticism about Sepp Blatter’s managerial abilities as flowing the same septic font — of pure RACISM. Am I so wrong?
How typically the Maggs v Dworky puppet show. Lets quibble over something Maggs cut & pasted rather than express an original idea over, say, how close FIFA rule is to a state of emergency or whether World Cup courts comply with S35(3)(c) of the Constitution.
LOL! You kids! No central heating in the McDonalds’ play rooms?
Mikhail Dworkin Fassbinder says:
July 10, 2010 at 15:49 pm
“Am I so wrong?”
Hey Dworky,
You are never wrong, even better than Nostrafella.
That’s why I am following your advice.
Stop Zuma.
Fight back.
End cadre deployment (especially in Bafana Bafana)
THANKS TO SIR McCARTHY, THIS IS WHAT HE SAID ABOUT VUVIUZELA’S AFTER MUNCHING A FEW ENGLISH MUFFINS.
“It is the worst thing. It is a typical South African thing but the reason I hate them is that when I’m playing I can’t hear myself and I can’t get the message across,” McCarthy said.
“It is the most annoying thing and you go deaf, so I hope they don’t bring them into English football. That is South African football, this is the Premier League, which is singing and the cheering your team on. That is what it is all about.”
SA under 17 team lost to Lesotho and Burkina Faso.
I see we have all forgotten about them and come 2014 we will be asking sangomas why we are not qualifying for the World Cup.
THE ROT CONTITUES!!!!!!!!!
More woe for SA youth teams
Posted: 2010-09-12 21:15
Safa Technical Director Serame Letsoaka blamed the referee after Amajimbos were booted out of the African Youth Championships on Saturday.
South Africa’s Under-17s lost 2-0 to Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou to eventually lose on the away goal rule after a 4-2 victory in Tembisa a fortnight ago.
This follows some horror results for Amajita and Amaglug-glug in recent weeks, and an embarrassing 10-1 defeat for Bantwana against Germany in the Under-17 Women’s World Cup earlier in the week.
But Letsoaka, who was acting as assistant to stand-in coach Mandla Mazibuko, blamed the defeat on the referee from Benin.
“The first half was fine and we were dominating,” he tells KickOff.com. “In fact, we should have scored at least one goal.
“But in the second half it was like a different referee was in charge – some of the decisions were shocking. The Burkinabe scored their first goal which was legitimate, but the second was just non-existent.
“We tried to raise our concerns and the match was held up for a few minutes, but no-one listened and the goal stood. We continued with the match and scored a goal, but it was disallowed for no good reason.
“The referee kept overruling the assistant referee on several occasions, which showed that the man in the middle was on a mission of his own.”
Congratulations to President Blatter and his team for democratising the hosting of the World Cup. The UK MEDIA and its SA siblings(702 etc) HAVE EGG ON THEIR FACES.
Well, the promise by FIFA of R1BN only came in at just above R550 million and yes they deducted the money for building FIFA House and salary for Perreira whom we were not allowed to fire. In the meantime our Women’s team failed to qualify for the world cup and we also failed to qualify for the next olympic soccer games. This week it has come out that we forgot to register our teams for All Africa Games.
Good Legacy indeed.
http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/SAFA-School-soccer-dead-20101209
It is almost a year after hosting the world cup and the benefits are there for some to see.
Well it seems as if we taught Mr Blatter what we are good at, DENIALISM and the favourite phrase, “What crisis”.
I must congratulate the current administration for shooting down the idea of hosting another 5 star party in our back yard Olympics. We simply can’t afford these things.
This make the arms deal look like a picnic.
Read
http://www.iss.co.za/uploads/Mono169.pdf