South Africa
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Not sure what’s worse here: the story itself, or that it’s not the least bit surprising.
Anyway, an African Nation Congress official who blew the whistle on corruption in stadium construction for the 2010 World Cup was gunned down outside of his house. Next to his son. After hosting a party.
Mpumalanga police spokesman Superintendent Abie Khoabane said details of the shooting were sketchy and that police had not established a motive for the attack. Three shots were fired, one at close range, which hit [Jimmy] Mohlala in the chest. Another hit his son in the leg. According to Sibiya, neighbours found Mohlala lying in a pool of blood. He was certified dead on arrival at a local hospital.
Last year, other ANC members wanted Mohlala removed from his post after singling out colleague Jacob Diadia “over alleged irregularited relation to the construction of Mbombela stadium.”
Diadia was suspended, but—and this is priceless—the ANC recalled Mohlala. After he refused to step down, the party took disciplinary action against him. So, in South Africa when you expose potential corruption you lose your job and your life in that order?
Yes the rest of the world can’t wait to come to a country where “disciplinary action” and “gangland style assassination” are interchangeable terms.
Okay, we’re making an assumption that the killing was a direct result of Mohlala’s whistleblowing over 2010 stadium construction. And police haven’t determined that to be the case for certain. But when you’re inviting the world to a party you’re hosting, even the appearance that you’re killing people who are trying to keep things on the up and up is, well, bad. Suffice it to say South Africa’s evite list of “No’s” might keep increasing by a few hundred million or so.
Written by Darkvader on January 6th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on South Africa and World Cup 2010 and corruption.
What does Santa Seppy Claus have in his magic sack this holiday season?
While we here at UF respect the holidays of many faiths (…any excuse to drink…), it’s obvious that the 800 lb gorilla this time of year is Christmas. In my family, Christmas means one thing (two actually, if you count liberal self-medication) — good ole fashioned consumerism. If you’re part of our clan, whether by blood or relationship, my mother demands a wishlist from you. And in the interest of self-preservation, you’d had better give her one in a timely fashion.
This year, outside of the 3rd season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (seriously, if you don’t watch this show, do it now) and assorted Liverpool swag, I’m not really wanting for much. But that’s not to say that aren’t those who are, though.
So, let’s take a peek at what’s on the wishlists of some of our Favorites (and non-Favorites) from around the World of Football.
Roy Keane:
A new job and a razor to shave his Unabomber beard ahead of his next interview. Better yet, how about a job as the next pitchman for Gillette razors? Unfortunately, that gig comes to an abrupt end after the red mist descends and he chokes out Titi during the filming of his first commercial.
Kevin Keegan:
Forget the razor, this man just needs a job. Do you have any idea how important it is to a man’s self-worth to have a job which he can quit at the first sign of trouble? In lieu of gainful employment, a fat, undeserved pay-out from Newcastle would be welcomed.
Michel Platini:
The Beatles’ complete catalog, a lifetime’s supply of Thomas’ English Muffins, simply because he appears to depise English football so much.
South Africa:
Luck. With 2010 looming and continued doubts over their ability to stage the next World Cup properly, they’re going to need it.
Cristiano Ronaldo:
A body-length mirror to admire himself in and which will tell him who’s the loveliest in all the land. Also, lessons from a six-year old on what to do when the ball is headed for your face/head.
Vinnie Jones:
A taste of his own medicine. Oh, he already got it. Then, a tampon to sop up all the blood.
Major League Soccer:
A g*ddamn clue. You don’t have the talent pool for continued expansion. Why do you refuse to heed the lessons of the NASL?
Barcelona:
More of the same, please. The UF Crew collectively pities the fools who draw the Catalan club in the knock-out stages of the Champions League. [Ed. Note: And we collectively wish that our teams avoid Barca at all costs]
Sam Allardyce:
A do-over. After passing up the Sunderland job, leaving it for Roy Keane, Big Sam is hoping somebody remembers what wonders he worked at Stupid F-ing Bolton. Also, the Jawbone Bluetooth so he’ll continue to look like a fast food drive-thru employee upon his return to management.
Robbie Keane:
A rich vein of form in front of goal. Despite his claim that he’s not worried about himself and therefore nobody else should be, it’s time for the ₤20M man to start banging them in for Liverpool.
Michael Owen:
Rescue from Newcastle. Not that he deserves it.
The UF Crew:
Handjobs. Much like Polaroid pictures and Scottish football, what once was thought to be an obsolete relic of the past is making a comeback. (Just joking, Scottish football isn’t making a comeback)
So, what’s on your list?
Written by Darkvader on December 11th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Barcelona and Christmas Wishes and Michael Owen and Michel Platini and Sam Allardyce and South Africa and Sven and Vinnie Jones and roy keane.
FIFA wants everyone to know that they’re happy with South Africa’s preparations ahead of the 2010 World Cup, no matter what anyone may think …
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said that there are still issues to be resolved ahead of the first-ever African World Cup, but that the mood was still positive.
“I think we should forget this question now,” Valcke said, asked about the possibility of another country stepping in. “It’s been a lot of work since May 2004 and I think there is still a lot of work until June 14 2009 [when South Africa hosts the Confederations Cup] and the 2010 World Cup.
“I think it’s a lot of issues and we have to make sure we are working on them all the time. The main issues are security, transportation, accommodation, overlay; it’s all what you need to host a World Cup. It’s normal, because there is not a single country ready 18 months prior to the World Cup. When we had the Confederations Cup in Germany, it’s where we discovered that lots of things were not working. There is no question that it was the right decision to bring the World Cup to South Africa.”
The CEO of the World Cup Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Danny Jordaan thinks that although South Africa has experienced problems, they’re getting there.
“Firstly, we are focusing on the Confederations Cup,” he said. “These are existing stadiums, however there is still a gap between the existing stadiums and the event requirements. So we are focusing on that to make sure that by the end of December, all of the four stadiums for the Confederations Cup are fully compliant with all requirements for the event; and then [making] sure all of the stadiums are complete by October next year and also then to focus on the final draw on December 4 next year.”
Valcke hinted that the 2018 tournament could be given to a “rich” country, possibly from Europe. The 2014 World Cup will be held in Brazil, which probably means it isn’t a ‘rich’ country.
“I have a feeling that Germany tomorrow morning could host the World Cup. Because they have a very strong professional league, stadiums are ready, so there are a few European countries [who] will not have to spend as much money as South Africa is doing or as Brazil will have to do because there is not a single, what we call, World Cup stadium in Brazil.
“And they will have to provide us with these stadiums and work on them. Again, I have the feeling that there will be competition, I would say between five to eight countries, bidding for 2018.
“These will come from four confederations as Africa and South America will not have access to 2018. It will be potentially the so-called ‘rich’ countries, where there is already the infrastructure we need to host a World Cup.”
MY POV: The more I listen to these FIFA cronies talk, the more I wish they’d be quiet.
How condescending of them to talk about giving the 2018 World Cup to a ‘rich’ country?
How about just letting events play out and letting the citizens of South Africa enjoy the process of the 2010 World Cup?
More and more, it feels like FIFA has absolutely no confidence in South Africa. It seems like they’re wringing their hands clean of the 2010 Cup, rueing their decision to give the 2014 Cup to a poor country like Brazil and focusing on the ‘cash money’ bonanza of the 2018 Cup.
USA 2018 anyone? The more you hear FIFA bellow, the more it sounds like they’d hold every World Cup in the USA and England if they had the chance …
It’s all about the money, isn’t it? How stupid of me to believe it was about more than just the cash …
Written by Darkvader on November 25th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Danny Jordaan and FIFA and South Africa.
South Africa’s ending 2008 on a very positive note.
Bafana Bafana won their 4th game in a row under coach Joel Santana as they edged out Africa’s top-rated side Cameroon 3-2 to win the annual Mandela Challenge match, which honors the country’s former president.
A late winner from Bernard Parker secured the victory.
Earlier Teko Modise had scored twice to put the home side 2-0 up before the Indomitable Lions struck back to level the score through Daniel Ngom Kome and Somen Tchoyi.
The win allowed Santana to indulge an optimistic tone as he looked towards 2010.
“I believe the road to 2010 is on track,” he told the South African Football Association (SAFA) website.
“We played as a team and we are starting to show comfort on the ball. Yes we still have to work on certain areas but football is a continuous challenge.”
The build up to the match was marred by a row over the absence of Cameroon’s star striker Samuel Eto’o.
Cameroon coach Otto Pfister blamed SAFA for failing to arrange his travel properly.
SAFA hit back, claiming everything had been arranged and the player had simply failed to make his flight.
Geremi and Rigobert Song were also missing from the Indomitable Lions line up.
MY POV: Big win against a top opponent, although the cynic in me says, ‘But hold on, Cameroon were missing their biggest weapon in Eto’o.’
Nevertheless, the victory gives Bafana Bafana a reason to smile heading into 2009.
Written by Darkvader on November 21st, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on South Africa.
South Africa national team coach Joel Santana says his side is almost to the point where they’ll do reasonably well in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Santana’s been the focal point of criticism the past few months as Bafana Bafana have struggled, failing to qualify for the 2010 African Cup of Nations.
But the team’s been playing better of late and the Brazilian coach is encouraged by what he’s seen.
“At this stage we are staying calm. We have the definition of what we want for 2010; we are actually halfway to what we want,” said Santana.
The Brazilian coach aired his sentiments after the announcement of the team to play against Cameroon in the Mandela Challenge next week in Rustenburg, South Africa.
“I now know the players that are playing for me and I know how to make them approach the game. This is why we have tried to preserve the team from the past three games and have gone for the in-form players.
“Other players have been left out of the team because they are injured, like Bryce Moon, while others have to stay on with their teams,” says Santana.
“This job is just like life; is all about learning. We heard and we have seen things during this period since I arrived here and what I say is that I feel very secure.
“This job always has its ups and downs, but you have to live by the results that you get. Though we understand that people have this anxiety of wanting to have a great national team that wins all the games, you have to be patient. But we just need to be united going into the New Year.
“You should know that this is not just a coach’s job, but involves all of us from the media which I now know how it operates and sees things at times, the fans and the players.
“I don’t have regrets about what has happened in the past since I arrived here and took over from Carlos Parreira. I am satisfied and happy to be here. The Confederations Cup is a big challenge for us, but the World Cup is the main goal that we are prioritising and working towards.
“We hope to close the year with one more win ahead of the Confederations Cup next year. Each game is important for us and this match in particular is crucial in that we are honoring a great man and it will be a nice birthday gift for me if we win as I want to celebrate my birthday on December 25 with a smile,” he says.
The Brazilian says he is aware of the players that the West Africans will bring for next week’s match.
“We know the players just like you do, and they are quality players who play in European leagues. But we need this kind of test and we have watched their recent games.”
Santana says his wish is to make it four wins in a row when he faces Cameroon
“This is an important tournament in the history of this country, honoring one of the biggest legends of our time,” says Santana.
“The best way to honor Nelson Mandela would be to win this game. We will be playing at home and we will be expecting a lift from our supporters. Our ambition is to make it four wins in a row.”
MY POV: Santana’s challenges have only just begun. The team’s playing better, though. Let’s wish him luck in the Mandela Challenge and take it from there …
Written by Darkvader on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on 2010 African Cup of Nations and 2010 World Cup and South Africa.
Who’s up for a Blind Item Guessing Game? ‘Cept that the item ain’t really blind, it’s just withheld. What with these foreign newspapers and their ethics? I mean, once the guy is arrested, you can actually publish it as fact, right? Apparently not in South Africa. Join me below for scant, but juicy, details.
It’s the land of the 2010 World Cup and, in case you haven’t heard, it has a bit of a crime problem. Kind of like my home state, except amped up a good bit. Since crime apparently pays, and well, in South Africa, it ensnares all kinds of folks. Including men so powerful, their names cannot be printed, and only their job titles alluded to.
A “top soccer boss” in Soweto has been arrested for his involvement in a fairly sophisticated car theft ring. He was caught when an arrested accomplice snitched his part in the plot to the police. Obviously, this is not a Barksdale-scale organization, or else that kid would have been iced a lot earlier.
Now, onto the interesting part. The paper knows the name of the man arrested, but will not release it. They do dance around it a bit, giving the names of his former clubs, but don’t go any further. I have no idea what South Africa’s libel laws are like, but this seems extreme.
Anyway, if you have any insight on a high-ranking soccer official around Soweto who used to play for Vaal Professionals and Bush Bucks, then please tell us who it is in the comments. Otherwise, make up stuff for you own personal amusement. Me, I vote Roy Wegerle.
Written by Darkvader on November 12th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Arrests and Car Theft and South Africa and a reference to The Wire because I can and ĂĽ75.
Interesting article in today’s New York Times about Danny Jordaan, South Africa’s World Cup chief organizer.
Jordaan flew into New York for meetings this week and happened to land here right as the United States was electing their first African-American President, Barack Obama.
Considering South Africa’s delicate history with race and apartheid, it was an interesting time for Jordaan to be in New York.
According to the article, Obama’s election reminded him of the time South African Nelson Mandela was let out of prison in 1990.
It was a strange evening to be landing in New York. Jordaan, the chairman of the South African committee that will stage the World Cup of soccer in 2010, watched the celebration on CNN and compared the mood in America to the mood in South Africa on Feb. 11, 1990, the day Nelson Mandela walked out of prison after 27 years.
“The majority celebrated,” recalled Jordaan, who had worked against apartheid without going to prison or into exile. “But many people did not celebrate,” he recalled. “You have to be magnanimous.”
Obama has long expressed his respect for Mandela, saying he had been inspired by a visit to Mandela’s former prison cell on Robben Island. In turn, Mandela sent a message to Obama on Wednesday, saying, in part, “Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place.”
While much of the world sees Obama’s victory as a new symbol of hope, a successful 2010 World Cup in South Africa would be equally satisfying to many.
Jordaan is assuring people that everything will be ready in approximately 600 days’ time.
Joseph S. Blatter, the president of FIFA, once mentioned a Plan B for the World Cup, then amended his remarks to say they referred only to natural disaster. But Jordaan knows there is skepticism about the stadiums, the hotels, the transportation, the security.
Just about every major sports tournament around the world is dogged by tardiness, incompetence, graft, repression, you name it. The tear gas from civil unrest had barely been cleared before the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, and they were a success. The trolley lines and expressways had barely been opened in Athens in time for the 2004 Summer Games.
“And we finished half an hour before the first game,” Sunil Gulati, the president of the United States Soccer Federation, said about the 1994 World Cup in the U.S.
But a tournament for 32 national teams, including the woeful national team of South Africa, automatically invited as host, is a huge task from a nation still only 14 years past gigantic change. A caretaker government is in charge at the moment, awaiting a new election in 2009, but Jordaan suavely noted that Germany had a change of parties as well as chancellors shortly before the highly successful 2006 World Cup.
South Africa will be fine. Obama will do great things. And in 2010, the world will have something else to celebrate: the wonderful experience of an African World Cup …
Written by Darkvader on November 7th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Danny Jordaan and South Africa and United States.
South Africa has been under the microscope for many reasons these past few years.
Certainly the eyes of the football world are focused on the nation as they prepare for the 2010 World Cup. But one aspect of South Africa’s build up to 2010 has lagged behind: the national football team.
Having been eliminated from the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola, the team is now squarely focused on putting up a good performance at the World Cup.
Optimism is the word of the day in South Africa after Bafana Bafana won their third consecutive match on Wednesday night - a 2-1 win over Ghana.
While a friendly victory over a mainly second-string Ghana team should not allow the team to get carried away, the win has re-instilled a feel-good factor in the South Africans.
Added to earlier victories against Equatorial Guinea and Malawi, the run of results has certainly eased the pressure on Brazilian coach Joel Santana (pictured above) - for now.
A clearly relieved Santana revealed after the match that he had now identified 70 percent of the squad that will play at next year’s Confederations Cup.
He singled out striker Bernard Parker and Russian-based central defender Matthew Booth, who returned to the side after a three-year absence.
“This is a very important player,” Santana said of 22-year-old Parker whose second-half winner against Ghana was his third international goal in as many games.
“He is taking advantage of his opportunities. He has a good way of doing things and is disciplined. It is good for us and for the team,” Santana said of the current leading goalscorer in South Africa’s top division who will be spending the next week on trial with Swedish side Malmo.
“More important than the win is that we are on the right track. A lot of the players are getting better and we are starting to put together a team for the Confederations Cup,” the Brazilian said.
Assistant coach Pitso Mosimane was also clearly happy with the team’s progress.
“The boys are stroking the ball around very nicely and they are growing in confidence with every game. Irrespective of what team you beat, winning creates a healthy atmosphere in the camp,” he said.
Mosimane also paid tribute to striker Benni McCarthy in the team’s resurgence.
“He has such a positive impact on the team. Whenever he’s around you can see the spirits lifting. The players, particularly the younger ones, all look up to him because of his class and what he has already achieved. The fact that we performed so badly in the four Nations Cup qualifiers he wasn’t around for tells a story.”
With friendlies against Namibia and Cameroon in November, as well as high-profile ties against Germany, Holland, Portugal, Chile and the Confederations Cup penciled in for 2009, Bafana Bafana will be looking to improve further before they host the biggest showpiece in the game.
MY POV: South Africa really wants the Bafana Bafana to do well in the 2010 World Cup. While their wins have been against minnows and second-rate squads, one can only hope the nation’s resurgent optimism in the team gives new life to their play.
Written by Darkvader on October 20th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on 2010 World Cup and South Africa.
I’m back. Again. Hopefully for good this time.
Anyways, South Africa. Host country of the 2010 World Cup. Enigmatic country going through some difficult change at the moment.
According to new South African president Kgalema Motlanthe (pictured, above) and ruling party leader Jacob Zuma, South Africa will meet all the deadlines set by FIFA and are on course to host the “best World Cup ever” in 2010.
The assurance was issued against a background of a domestic political drama in South Africa that saw the ruling African National Congress, headed by Zuma, oust Thabo Mbeki as head of government and replace him with “caretaker” president Motlanthe.
Taking office on September 25, Motlanthe re-appointed highly-respected finance minister Trevor Manuel but deputy minister Jabu Moleketi, a key figure in World Cup preparations, was not on the list of re-appointed members of the executive.
According to the September 26 statement by Mothlanthe and Zuma, FIFA president Sepp Blatter told the new president in a telephone conversation: “I want to thank Mr Motlanthe for taking the time today to personally inform me about the situation, as this underlines the importance of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to the South African government. I was pleased to hear from him that the 2010 FIFA World Cup is fully supported by all political and governmental authorities and that everything will be done to make 2010 an unforgettable success.”
Blatter assured Motlanthe of FIFA’s “100 per cent support and assistance in the preparations as well as FIFA’s full confidence and trust in South Africa’s organisational capabilities”.
In an article posted September 27 on goal.com, reporter Peter Pedroncelli wrote: “the political situation has transitioned smoothly to the normal state of affairs, with the new president eager to keep all matters running on the right track. The dust has quickly settled and the future is bright for a nation of proud football fans that appreciate the great honour and responsibility which comes with hosting the greatest show on earth. South Africa will be ready. The world will be proud!”
In an interview with South African daily The Citizen on September 26, government spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso said: “As government we remain optimistic that South Africa will host a successful World Cup in 2010… the political changes will not have any negative implications for next year’s Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup”.
Local Organizing Committee chairperson Irvin Khoza has confirmed that an urgent meeting would be held to determine the impact of changes to government personnel as a result of Mbeki’s departure from office.
“Right now we are consulting with the ministries. It is important to say that the ministries have not resigned, and the government guarantees were signed by the ministries and not the individuals,” Khoza told Africa News.
MY POV: While reading these assurances is wonderful, the fact of the matter is that South Africa is facing some upheaval.
In an article printed in October 6th’s New York Times, writer Barry Bearak paints a gloomier picture.
The actual changing of the guard was orderly enough, but months of behind-the-scenes back-stabbing have made many South Africans long for days more abundant with moral clarity, including those fretful about a figure as polarizing as Mr. Zuma.
The past year has been especially unnerving, with one bleak event after another, and it is more than acidic politics that have soured the national mood. Economic growth slowed; prices shot up. Xenophobic riots broke out in several cities, with mobs killing dozens of impoverished foreigners and chasing thousands more from their tumbledown homes.
The country’s power company unfathomably ran out of electricity and rationed supply. Gone was the conceit that South Africa was the one place on the continent immune to such incompetence. The rich purchased generators; the poor muddled through with kerosene and paraffin.
Other grievances were ruefully familiar. South Africa has one of the worst crime rates. But more alarming than the quantity of lawbreaking is the cruelty. Robberies are often accompanied by appalling violence, and people here one-up each other with tales of scalding and shooting and slicing and garroting.
The poor apply padlocks in defense. The rich surround their homes with concrete and barbed wire — and there are suggestions that more are simply fleeing the country.
“On our street alone, just that one small street, three of the husbands in families were killed in carjackings or robberies,” said Antony McKechnie, an electrical engineer who a month ago moved to New Zealand. “If we had stayed and something had happened to any of our three children, we would never be able to forgive ourselves.”
Rich and poor, black, white and mixed race: their complaints may differ, but the discontent is shared. Polls show a pervasive distrust of government, political parties and the police.
I’ve expressed ultimate confidence in South Africa’s abilities to host the World Cup. But will this political upheaval finally unnerve the nation enough to endanger their confidence? Let’s hope not …
Written by Darkvader on October 6th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on 2010 World Cup and FIFA and South Africa.
FIFA President Seppsis Blather
recently trekked to South Africa to take in the host country’s preparations for the 2010 World Cup. From the outset many doubted South Africa would be able to handle the responsibility and rumors of shadow host country plans have been rampant. Believe those rumors no more, since Blather has pronounced the
Rainbow Nation to be ahead of schedule on stadium construction.
Pay no mind to the crime, transportation and lodging issues because Blather said “When I left the plane and arrived on African soil, I started dancing” in advance of his inspection that wasn’t an inspection. I have no doubt he was wearing a dashiki and kufi while dancing. Blather would lead us to believe that if F.W. De Klerk sharted in his shorts that it was gold bullion, if it meant he looked good. South Africa 2010 is his baby.
Keep in mind this is the same Blather touring South Africa that claimed millionaire players were slaves to their clubs, when FIFA forces players to participate in international games against their wishes at times. The man speaks with a forked tongue and is a complete and utter disgrace to football.
I can only hope that the FIFA jet left him behind dancing to be eaten by some hippos, because lions are too dignified for this man.
Written by Darkvader on September 16th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on South Africa and The Fan's Attic and stupid things Sepp Blatter says.
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Not sure what’s worse here: the story itself, or that it’s not the least bit surprising.
