TIME has flown by and the fat lady is about to sing, with just over two weeks left – 17 days to be exact – before the dress-rehearsal for the 2010 World Cup. The Confederations Cup begins on June 14. It definitely seems like everyone is ready for the spectacle – from the organisers, the players and the fans. The eyes of the entire globe will be on South Africa to assess our capabilities on and off the soccer field. Now is the time for sceptics to put their pessimism on hold and rally behind the organising committee and their team.
South Africa has in the past shown its capability of hosting events of such high magnitude. In 1995, the country played host to the world during the Rugby World Cup – uniting the young democratic country as South Africa took the title on home soil. A year later, the Bafana Bafana Class of 1996 were crowned African champions after successfully hosting the African Cup of Nations. In 2003, it was the Cricket World Cup (also the first to be held on African soil) which despite the host nation failing to make it to the Super 6 stage, went on to be a major success.
The recent Indian Premier League, which was held in South Africa, once again showed the country‘s knack of staging successful world- class events. Judging by these past tournaments and the fact that ticket sales for the Confederations Cup are fast nearing the 400000-mark goes to show that the general public is ready and willing to be part of making history.
Most of the pressure to perform over the two-week long tournament will be on Joel Santana‘s men. Bafana have received plenty of warnings from their fellow competitors – La Roja (the Spanish national team) and the Lions of Mesopotamia (Iraq) – that they face an arduous task ahead. The competition in the 30- man squad, which will soon be trimmed down to 23 before the June 4 deadline for submission of official Confederations Cup squads, is said to be highly intense.
South Africans now need not to cry over spilt milk, but to support the coach‘s decisions. There remain many who are crying foul over the booting out of Mabhudi Khenyeza, the inclusion of certain players and the exclusion of Richard Henyekane. This is not the time to be negative, but to give full support to the national team.
Since no African team has yet claimed the Confederations Cup title, one would hope that Bafana and the Pharaohs of Egypt will turn things around.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
East Cape faces another soccer drought after demise of Bay United
THE Eastern Cape is about to face yet another soccer drought after the relegation of Bay United from the Absa Premiership. Umlilo follow in the footsteps of Blackpool and Michau Warriors who survived only one season in top-flight football in the 1990s, never to be heard of again. With the possibility of Umlilo being sold comes the likelihood of the club moving out of the province.
I recently had the pleasure of having a lengthy chat with NMB Safa president Johnson Kula – a man who is very passionate about the region‘s football. Umlilo‘s troublesome season in the PSL was our main topic of discussion. We agreed fully on some of the main reasons the club failed over the past season.
A lack of financial backing proved to be a major factor in the downward spiral of one of the clubs which arguably had the most potential. The metro‘s business people failed to come to the party and support the only professional Eastern Cape soccer side. They took a back seat and watched cautiously from a distance.
The lack of financial muscle meant no quality players in the squad. Truth be told, as much as the players did try their utmost best, Khabo Zondo had little quality and depth to withstand the arduous top league in the country. Only money can get the best players.
It was also no secret that the club and the local municipality never saw eye to eye on a number of issues. The most controversial being the issue of the stadium, as Umlilo had no home to really call their own.
“I have, on a number of occasions, had to be the middle-man when it came to ironing out the differences between the club and the municipality. Unfortunately, on most occasions the parties could not reach consensus,” said Kula.
According to the Safa NMB president, deputy mayor Bicks Ndoni was one man who offered his unconditional support and saw a need for co-operation, but this was not to be.
One would also point a finger at the municipality for failing the thousands of fans who had supported Umlilo at Kwazakhele‘s Wolfson Stadium. In the days prior to gaining promotion it was already clear that the stadium would not be fit for the PSL. There had been ample time for the municipality to rectify the problem, and take the club back to its people.
Some of the so-called big guns in the metro‘s business sector, who flocked to the suites at the EPRU Stadium, did no favours to the budget of the club. It was brought to my knowledge that the majority of these men and women would refuse to pay for entry into the stadium, bombarding the club‘s personnel with phone calls wanting free tickets to the suites. With this kind of treatment, how could anyone have expected the club to survive?
Should Umlilo remain in Port Elizabeth, one would hope that these problems are solved before the club makes its way back into top- flight football again.
I recently had the pleasure of having a lengthy chat with NMB Safa president Johnson Kula – a man who is very passionate about the region‘s football. Umlilo‘s troublesome season in the PSL was our main topic of discussion. We agreed fully on some of the main reasons the club failed over the past season.
A lack of financial backing proved to be a major factor in the downward spiral of one of the clubs which arguably had the most potential. The metro‘s business people failed to come to the party and support the only professional Eastern Cape soccer side. They took a back seat and watched cautiously from a distance.
The lack of financial muscle meant no quality players in the squad. Truth be told, as much as the players did try their utmost best, Khabo Zondo had little quality and depth to withstand the arduous top league in the country. Only money can get the best players.
It was also no secret that the club and the local municipality never saw eye to eye on a number of issues. The most controversial being the issue of the stadium, as Umlilo had no home to really call their own.
“I have, on a number of occasions, had to be the middle-man when it came to ironing out the differences between the club and the municipality. Unfortunately, on most occasions the parties could not reach consensus,” said Kula.
According to the Safa NMB president, deputy mayor Bicks Ndoni was one man who offered his unconditional support and saw a need for co-operation, but this was not to be.
One would also point a finger at the municipality for failing the thousands of fans who had supported Umlilo at Kwazakhele‘s Wolfson Stadium. In the days prior to gaining promotion it was already clear that the stadium would not be fit for the PSL. There had been ample time for the municipality to rectify the problem, and take the club back to its people.
Some of the so-called big guns in the metro‘s business sector, who flocked to the suites at the EPRU Stadium, did no favours to the budget of the club. It was brought to my knowledge that the majority of these men and women would refuse to pay for entry into the stadium, bombarding the club‘s personnel with phone calls wanting free tickets to the suites. With this kind of treatment, how could anyone have expected the club to survive?
Should Umlilo remain in Port Elizabeth, one would hope that these problems are solved before the club makes its way back into top- flight football again.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
All eyes will be focused on SA’s dress-rehearsal for 2010
THE spotlight is set to shine much brighter on the South Africa soccer scene in just over a month‘s time when the Confederations Cup gets under way. In fact, it is just a mere 39 days away. As a result, the attention will be squarely on the country‘s ability and readiness, both as a host nation and Bafana Bafana‘s competitiveness, for the World Cup tournament next year. The question on everybody‘s lips is: Are we ready to take on the world? The two-week tournament will probably provide the answer.
Dr Danny Jordaan and his team have been doing a pleasing job in the organisation and logistics of the tournament, but as many would agree, there has been an absence in the marketing and creation of a hype and excitement in South Africa surrounding the World Cup curtain-raiser.
Unlike in 2005, when nobody needed to be reminded, even months before the kickoff of the event that a high-profile tournament was about to take place, sadly the same cannot be said about this year‘s event.
There are still people who call me to inquire when exactly the tournament will take place. This just goes to show that there is something lacking.
The LOC needs to reach out to the people on the ground and it is not too late.
Although the past weekend‘s Soweto Derby is of a smaller scale in magnitude compared to the Confederations Cup, the manner in which it was organised and carried out bodes well for South Africans, as it was a most successful test run for the event to be hosted in June.
Bafana, on the other hand, have yet to prove that they have the ability to keep the spirit of the host country high and unite the nation, like Germany did in 2006. Judging by the team‘s inconsistent performances against the bigger footballing nations, it is no wonder that there is so much pessimism over Bafana‘s chances of going far in 2010. With the chopping and changing of players and lack of commitment and patriotism from certain high and mighty players, one would hope that Joel Santana has an ace up his sleeve to turn Banana Banana into the Bafana Bafana we knew in 1996. We will just have to wait and see what will happen on June 14 and beyond.
THE New Brighton Football Association (Nebfa) league came to an end at the weekend and focus will now shift to cup competitions, with the Continental Knockout Cup kicking off at the New Brighton Oval this weekend.
Continental will be sponsoring the tournament for the fourth consecutive year with a whopping R60000 in prize money. The official launch of the competition will take place at the New Brighton Oval clubhouse this evening.
THE Pefa Ladies League produced another high scoring weekend with 24 goals being scored in three matches. In Warriors‘ 8-1 thrashing of PE City, Courtney Nanan continued her goalscoring form with five goals, Nomzamo Mahenza scored a brace for VP Mustangs in their 3-3 draw against Callies, while NMMU‘s Sandra Tennoy scored six in the 9-0 drubbing of St George‘s.
Dr Danny Jordaan and his team have been doing a pleasing job in the organisation and logistics of the tournament, but as many would agree, there has been an absence in the marketing and creation of a hype and excitement in South Africa surrounding the World Cup curtain-raiser.
Unlike in 2005, when nobody needed to be reminded, even months before the kickoff of the event that a high-profile tournament was about to take place, sadly the same cannot be said about this year‘s event.
There are still people who call me to inquire when exactly the tournament will take place. This just goes to show that there is something lacking.
The LOC needs to reach out to the people on the ground and it is not too late.
Although the past weekend‘s Soweto Derby is of a smaller scale in magnitude compared to the Confederations Cup, the manner in which it was organised and carried out bodes well for South Africans, as it was a most successful test run for the event to be hosted in June.
Bafana, on the other hand, have yet to prove that they have the ability to keep the spirit of the host country high and unite the nation, like Germany did in 2006. Judging by the team‘s inconsistent performances against the bigger footballing nations, it is no wonder that there is so much pessimism over Bafana‘s chances of going far in 2010. With the chopping and changing of players and lack of commitment and patriotism from certain high and mighty players, one would hope that Joel Santana has an ace up his sleeve to turn Banana Banana into the Bafana Bafana we knew in 1996. We will just have to wait and see what will happen on June 14 and beyond.
THE New Brighton Football Association (Nebfa) league came to an end at the weekend and focus will now shift to cup competitions, with the Continental Knockout Cup kicking off at the New Brighton Oval this weekend.
Continental will be sponsoring the tournament for the fourth consecutive year with a whopping R60000 in prize money. The official launch of the competition will take place at the New Brighton Oval clubhouse this evening.
THE Pefa Ladies League produced another high scoring weekend with 24 goals being scored in three matches. In Warriors‘ 8-1 thrashing of PE City, Courtney Nanan continued her goalscoring form with five goals, Nomzamo Mahenza scored a brace for VP Mustangs in their 3-3 draw against Callies, while NMMU‘s Sandra Tennoy scored six in the 9-0 drubbing of St George‘s.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
