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And though those concerns are very much legitimate, I think it’s time someone offered a few rays of light to counterbalance all the World Cup 2010 doom and gloom.
So, here are ten reasons to be optimistic about South Africa.
1. Great weather South Africa is a hot, hot country. But not during winter. And since South Africa winter runs May to July that means we’ll have our first winter World Cup. That doesn’t mean snow and ice, it just means “warmish” (17-18°C, 63-64°F) weather. In other words, pretty near perfect. No blazing sun beating down on tired players (remember the Jack Charlton’s USA ‘94 water bottle drama?) should mean a higher tempo of football than usual. And that’s a good thing.
3. Neutral ground Every World Cup has been won by either a European or South American team. When the World Cup is in Europe, European teams tend to win it (Brazil’s victory in Sweden ‘58 is the only exception). And a European team has never won it in North or South America (list of hosts and winner here). So the fact that this tournament is on neutral territory means the playing field is pretty much level.
4. Favours African teams Pele predicted an African World Cup winner before the year 2000. Pele was wrong. But 2010 looks like the ideal chance for an African team to break that quarter-final barrier. Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Egypt, Nigeria? Any of those teams could theoretically do it.
5. South African tourism Put simply, the South African economy could do with a boost. And there’s nothing like a World Cup to generate a bit of tourism. And there are worse places to be a tourist - check out the image above.
6. Bafana Bafana getting better The atmosphere at a World Cup depends on the host nation being at least decent. So purely footballing wise, the most worrying thing about World Cup 2010 was that South Africa were a terrible terrible football team. But not anymore. Under new coach Joel Santana, Bafana Bafana have just won five friendlies in a row.
7. SAST South African Standard Time is GMT+2. That’s a pretty good time for football matches to kick off. If you’re in Europe, the games will be a little later that you’re used to, but not in the middle of the night. And if you’re in the US then kickoffs won’t be too early in the morning (good news for west coasters) and east coasters might even be able to catch games after work.
8. Free tickets for locals FIFA (and their commercial partners etc) are giving out free tickets to locals on low incomes. The phrase “least they could do” comes to mind, but at least they’re doing it.
9. The match ball The World Cup 2006 ball was a bit dull. But based on the balls for Africa Cup of Nations 2008, and the Confederations Cup 2009, the World Cup 2010 ball should be a lot more interesting.
10. Leo Messi At World Cup 2006 he was a bit young. Right now he’s brilliant. In 2010 he’ll turn 23 during the tournament and his performances should be enough to make grown men cry.
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Normally this isn’t news but merely a reminder that international football is on its way again. However, this one is fairly big because of Brazil’s opponents for their February 10th friendly: Italy. Italy being the other country Amauri is willing to play his international football for - which is a major part of the reason he’s the best player in the world not to have an international cap. He’s a whore. He was when he was transfer listed in the summer and he is when it comes to international football too. He’ll play for anyone, and that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people.
But this was Dunga’s big chance to lock up the mere option of Amauri and give Italy a big old middle finger. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
What’s most surprising is not necessarily Amauri’s snub but Adriano’s inclusion. He’s played well over the last few weeks, if only sporadically, but had contributed precisely nothing for most of the year and will be serving a three game suspension - he’s prone to those - for a moment of sheer stupidity just 24 hours ago.:
So instead of Amauri, Italy’s fifth leading goal scorer, Dunga called up this guy, who’s scored two all year and will be bringing whatever form one can muster in the stands on suspension for the Italy friendly. Still but a friendly, yet also a game between the two nations with the largest World Cup hauls. That’s as big as “friendlies” get.
Dunga’s reasoning is half suspect, half sound:
“Amaury is a great player, but everyone has to wait for the right moment,” Dunga said. “He did not perform well in his last two matches and we think that the match against Italy would add too much pressure on him.”
Did not perform well in his last two matches? Please. Two games does not make a player and this game is not about form. Adriano punched a guy in his last game, yet he gets called up.
The other part, however, does make sense. Amauri’s selection would make this game something of a spectacle it doens’t need to be; putting added pressure on both himself and Dunga, particularly if he shows up at camp and craps the bed.
How this plays out remains to be seen, but regardless of reasoning, Amauri must be more and more anxious for his Italian passport to show up in the mail. Brazil Squad: Keepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan/ITA), Doni (AS Roma/ITA)
Defenders: Maicon (Inter Milan/ITA), Daniel Alves (Barcelona/ESP), Lucio (Bayern Munich/GER), Juan (AS Roma/ITA), Thiago Silva (AC Milan/ITA), Luisao (Benfica/POR), Marcelo (Real Madrid/ESP), Adriano Correia (Sevilla/ESP)
Midfielders: Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos/GRE), Josue (Wolfsburg/GER), Anderson (Manchester United/ENG), Felipe Melo (Fiorentina/ITA), Elano (Manchester City/ENG), Julio Baptista (AS Roma/ITA), Ronaldinho (AC Milan/ITA), Kaka (AC Milan/ITA)
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No surprise, it’s a Portuguese attacker - but not that Portuguese attacker. And this guy, Belchior, doesn’t even play real football, he plays the beach version. FIFA.com still saw it fit to award him their Goal of the Year for 2008. A good goal, no doubt, but the best? Barefooted beach play is a bit tougher than grass and all (at least the movement part), but I’m not quite sure that’s on par with some of the elite goals across real grass pitches we saw throughtout the year. (Like one of these.)
But did I mention this occured in a FIFA event? Uh huh.
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My name is Mamudu Nurudeen popularly known as Alhaji Righteous De Ambitious born on 25 Feb. 1985, to Mr Mamudu and Hajia Safura at Bawku Central in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
I am currently a student of Sunyani Polytechnic offering HND General Agriculture.
I am also a freelance Journalist, a motivational speaker and the founder of PERSONALITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS (PHR)
PLEASE THIS WEBSITE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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Normally this isn’t news but merely a reminder that international football is on its way again. However, this one is fairly big because of Brazil’s opponents for their February 10th friendly: Italy. Italy being the other country Amauri is willing to play his international football for - which is a major part of the reason he’s the best player in the world not to have an international cap. He’s a whore. He was when he was transfer listed in the summer and he is when it comes to international football too. He’ll play for anyone, and that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people. 
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