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.