JIM SLATER, Washington | Monday 12.00pm.
SHAUN Bartlett believes that Bafana Bafana can improve to the same extent as the United States if they are granted the rights to host the 2006 World Cup.
Bafana Bafana lost 4-0 to the US in their Nike Cup opener on Saturday evening, after scoring their first European win over Malta, who they beat 1-0, last weekend.
South Africa’s all-time leading scorer has seen the US team improve since hosting the 1994 World Cup and expects the same for South Africa, which has had to overcome international banishment during the days of apartheid.
“I think it was great for them,” Bartlett said.
“Hosting the World Cup would give us a great opportunity to make the same sort of improvement, especially since we are just coming back into international competition.”
Fifa’s 24-member executive committee meets on July 6 in Zurich to decide on a host for the 2006 World Cup, with South Africa, England, Germany, Brazil and Morocco vying for what could be the first World Cup hosted in Africa.
“It would mean a lot,” Bartlett said.
“For the country and the continent it would be great. We have proven a lot to the world in the past few years. Africans play at a high level.”
Sepp Blatter, boss of football’s world governing body, supports an African World Cup, especially on the heels of the first Asian World Cup, the 2002 venture hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea.
“I’m sure we are coming a long way. The president of Fifa says we are ready. The president of South Africa says we are ready,” South African coach Trott Moloto said.
“We hope not only South Africa, but the whole continent will spread the good light of football and we can become among the most competitive sides.”
Moloto also sees the benefits the World Cup has brought to the Americans, a team in a nation where football is relegated to the role of a minor sport.
“We can take a lesson from the United States,” Moloto said. “The US, when they hosted the World Cup in 1994, were not world beaters. I’m sure what we’ve seen here is what came out of hosting World Cup 1994.
“The structure is paying dividends for them. They are more athletic and they have been together more often than South Africa. We can learn from this.”
Bafana Bafana went winless in their World Cup debut in 1998 at France and were ousted in the first round. But a talented squad includes FC Zurich striker Bartlett, Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune, defender Pierre Issa of Olympique Marseille and forward Benedict McCarthy of Spain’s Celta Vigo.
“We beat a very good team,” US coach Bruce Arena said. “They were a load for our front runners. It was a close, competitive game.”
South Africa opens World Cup qualifying next month in Zimbabwe with a team that will have been together for about six weeks, some members of which will also compete at the Sydney Olympics. — AFP