Alan Smith Soccer
Without wishing to appear disloyal or sound unpatriotic, I have to say that South Africa has a very good case for staging the 2006 World Cup finals.
I know we in England are desperate to beat South Africa, Morocco, Brazil and Germany for the right to host the finals. But I doubt that the impact the finals would have on our development as a nation would come even close to the impact they would have on South Africa.
I have just returned from a visit to South Africa where I saw the England cricket team lose again. But the main purpose of my visit was to look at the football facilities, which have come on in leaps and bounds since the apartheid state was dismantled.
I remember taking Crystal Palace to South Africa in 1993, when we became the first English team to play a black side – Kaizer Chiefs. We won both games comfortably, but I very much doubt if an English team would win now. The new professionalism in the game, the ability of the South African players and the huge support of the people means the level and quality of football is not far behind Europe and South America.
Pele once predicted that an African country would win the World Cup by the year 2000 – I would say that was too optimistic, but only by six years. The will to win is incredible. We have seen it from South Africa’s rugby and cricket teams in the past, but football is the number one game.
There are four professional clubs in Cape Town, all regularly attracting crowds of more than 20 000, and there is a huge interest in English football. The African Cup of Nations starts this week and there will be unprecedented interest from the rest of the world.
A few years ago a handful of scouts from European clubs might have gone to South Africa, but now there will be plenty going to see if they can discover another Lucas Radebe or Quinton Fortune, who has just started to make his mark at Manchester United. There are scores of other talented African players in the European game.
Ajax and Feyenoord have set up academies in South Africa and Ghana, and French clubs have similar set-ups in Senegal and Burkina Faso. I see no reason why English clubs could not do the same. If clubs like West Ham can manage an academy in Australia, for example, why not South Africa, which is far more accessible?
The players are certainly good enough and they are mentally very tough. The coaching set-up from grassroots level upwards is first-class. The violent crime is something that concerns many, but I am sure that if South Africa gets the World Cup, a major security operation will be put in place. After all, the rugby World Cup went off without any serious problems.
My one concern is the inadequate transport system. That apart, the rest of the infrastructure is in place and numerous hotels are being built.
There is a great deal of campaigning going on, and there is a structure and professionalism to South Africa’s football that was not there 10 years ago. I remember back then someone was appointed national coach simply because he had the same name as a former Norwich player – obviously he had not pointed out to his employers that he was not a leading former professional! That could not happen now, not least because the knowledge of and interest in English football is phenomenal.
So, while I would love to see England win the right to host the World Cup in 2006, I would not be too disappointed if it was awarded to South Africa.
The people have a fierce pride in their country and what they are trying to do after so many unhappy years is positive. They really believe having the World Cup would take them forward as a nation.
Can we say the same in England?
ENDS