Vuvuzela South Africa

Opinion piece

Saw a cool headline today “Keep the Coach, Fire the Spineless SAFA Board” – well that is perhaps a bit over the top, but didn’t the new President Kirsten Nematendani come flying out of the starting blocks, promising to take this soccer crisis in hand?

Kirsten Nematandani SAFA President

Nematandani, who was elected unopposed last month after Danny Jordaan and Irvin Khoza pulled out of the South African Football Association election race ( that’s another story), immediately vowed to take a serious look at Bafana Coach Joel Santana’s performances during his 16-month rein.

“I simply cannot fire the coach after being in office only two hours,” he is quoted by SAPA as having said after winning the presidential race. “But I will make an informed decision once I have all the facts.

What does Kirsten Nematandani do?  He passes the buck er ball and appoints a panel of Clive Barker, Jomo Sono and Gavin Hunt, to assess Santana’s performance. Then we hear reports from Norway, that Santana will allow nobody near his team and that the assessors are to be spectators, just like us fans.

Rumours and Stories – Is Parreira coming back from Brazil?

Well, this tour was sad. Bafana Bafana lost in Oslo and also in Reykjavik and just as the fans are baying for blood, we read in the Sowetan that an unnamed Safa official says that Parreira is coming back from Brazil – his sick wife has recovered (praise the Lord) and he is willing to return to South Africa to perform a miracle on the South African National Football Team – at round R1, 8 a month and only if he is the ONLY coach.

So is he really willing to boot his bra ( Santana, who he gave to use when he had to leave so suddenly) into touch (to use a rugby metaphor) and shine up Banafa Bafana in six months? – but hey this is all unofficial/ off the record/ deniable… Comrade Mo territory.

The official word from SAFA is…  not true!

In fact, yesterday SAFA slammed the media for “misleading the public”

Nematandani Gives Santana Two More Matches

Kirsten Nematandani said Santana would be given two more matches to sort out his problems with the national squad. He denies having ever spoken to Parreira and declares that his agreement has always been that Santana would be assessed over three friendly matches. (Pity he did not communicate it that clearly to the public)

Friendlies against Japan and Jamaica in November

These games include last night’s match, to be followed by a friendly on November 14 against Japan, at Orlando stadium, and another one three days later, in Bloemfontein, against Jamaica.

We should have Won Against Iceland and Madagascar

The fact is that Santana has led the national team to just one win in nine matches, which has prompted the nation’s media to campaign for the coach’s dismissal.

Let us just take a reality check before we throw the coach under the bus. The fact that South Africa is currently ranked 73rd in the world- Bafana Bafana played Germany(4) Ireland (38), Norway (43) – so we were punching well beyond our reach. But we should have hammered Iceland and Madagascar.

One hopes that new SAFA President Kirsten Nematendani and his board know what they are doing – they could just be taking Bafana Bafana down a dangerous road. If they sack Santana next month, the new coach will have around six months to prepare the side for the 2010 World Cup.

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Well, I don’t know about you all, but I’m a bit sick and tired of the Safa Elections and the ego dramas between Irvin Khoza and Danny Jordaan and their factions. The fans just want soccer to be run in an efficient and transparent manner in South Africa; we want more grass roots development and we want Bafana Bafana to start winning again.

Kirsten Nematandani was Elected as the President

For me the third candidate always seemed like a good compromise -  Kirsten Nematandani was elected as the president of the South African Football Association, and I really don’t care if he is Jordaan’s best friend – The Iron Duke must grow up and take it like a man.

I mean what kind of games is he playing, calling a media conference, leaving the media waiting for 45 minutes and then not turning up? He sends PSL CEO Kjetil Siem in to read a statement accusing Jordaan of crookery – on behalf of the PSL.
The man cannot even stand up and face the media and then he has to hide behind the PSL…

I think we have had enough of egos – we just want to play soccer!

I found a round up of some related stories – follow the links and you will get the picture.

PSL points finger at Jordaan

The Press briefing, which was meant to be chaired by Irvin Khoza today at the PSL offices in Parktown, started 45 minutes late and the events that unfolded during the briefing were as uncomfortable as the long wait.

The Iron Duke - Irvin Khoza

The message sent to the media had stated that Khoza was going to personally address the media on an urgent matter, but when PSL CEO Kjetil Siem kick-started the briefing, there was no sign of Khoza, in the process angering the media, who packed the room.

The PSL, as an affiliate of Safa, is clearly not happy with football’s mother body, Safa, and Danny Jordaan.

In a statement released to the media, in the middle of today’s PSL executive meeting, it is clear Jordaan is accused of dirty tactics in the run during the elections.

Khoza Must be a Man

Irvin Khoza must be a man and accept the fact that an unknown, Kirsten Nematandani, is the new president of the South African Football Association (Safa), writes iafrica.com’s Khaya Ndubane.

I have always known Irvin Khoza as man of honour, but his reported stunt to challenge the results of a democratically elected president — Kirsten Nematandani — on the basis that he will be ‘a pawn’ to Danny Jordaan leaves me cold.

How Khoza lost his grip – Football Transformation Forum Reveals Strategy

Ramatsiyi Moholoa from The Sowetan writes:

THE Football Transformation Forum has labelled its victory in securing all key Safa positions in the football governing body’s elections, as a “coup for the underdog.”

This according to FTF spokesperson Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana.

“We worked hard from day one in the LFAs (local football associations) to get the overwhelming support of Safa regions,” said Nonkonyana. “Some of us who worked underground for the ANC used some of the strategies we learnt during the apartheid era.”

Nonkanyana was appointed the new Safa deputy president at the drama-riddled elections on Saturday.
Limpopo’s Kirsten Nematandani was elected Safa president unopposed. Irvin Khoza was the hot favourite leading up to the election, followed closely by Danny Jordaan of the FTF.

The two withdrew from the race.

Jomo Sono - The "Black Prince"

Sono welcomes change at Safa

According to The Sowetan, CLUB owner and one of the country’s top football personalities Jomo Sono says the changing of the guard in the South African Football Association hierarchy could be good for the game.

Sono, dubbed the “Black Prince” in his playing days, is also a former Bafana Bafana coach.

He said he welcomed new Safa president Kirsten Nematandani, who was elected as the country’s top soccer official at a marathon Safa annual general meeting in Kempton Park on Saturday.

Said Sono: “I phoned Kirsten after his election to congratulate him. Sometimes change is good for football. I think this was a good time to change leaders and I hope he will benefit our soccer.”

Nematandani replaced Molefi Oliphant, who led Safa for 12 years. But the Limpopo-based official was the outsider and won the election after two heavyweights, Danny Jordaan and Irvin Khoza, eventually withdrew their challenge for the presidency at a tense meeting, leaving Nematandani unopposed.

Photos: Irvin Khoza – kickoff.com

Jomo Sono: Sowetan

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Ever hear the story about two dogs fighting over a bone and the third one walking off with it? Well after a day and night of drama outsider Kirsten Nematandani was elected unopposed as the new president of the South African Football Association at a turbulent annual general meeting held in Kempton Park on this weekend.

Nematandani, who heads the Safa Referees Committee, will have Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana and Mandla “Shooz” Mazibuko as his vice presidents. Both men were also elected unopposed after five other candidates withdrew from the race.

Kirsten Nematandani’ – Shock Election

Kirsten Nematandani’s shock election is seen as a victory for the Football Transformation Forum (FTF) of which Danny Jordaan, one of the other presidential candidates, is the head.

It appears Jordaan and the FTF outmaneuvered his greatest rival for the Safa presidency, Irvin Khoza, the Iron Duke, in a tense standoff, which resulted in both men withdrawing from the presidential race on Saturday night. It has to be so, it became impossible for wither Jordaan or Khoza to take over the reigns as Safa president because of too much acrimony, not just between their men, but also between their followers.

Irvin Khoza and Danny Jordaan – Giant of SA Soccer

These two giants of South African Soccer, Irvin Khoza, and Danny Jordaan were the leading lights in bringing the 2010 World Cup to South Africa. At present Jordaan is the 2010 Local Organising Committee CEO while Khoza is chair of the 2010 LOC. But when the Safa Presidency came up, they both wanted more. They wanted control of Safa.

Photo of Kirsten Nematandani – South African Football Association (Safa)

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2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Officer, Danny Jordaan and the body’s Chairman, Irvin Khoza go head-to-head in South African Football Association’s (Safa) presidential election race on 26 September.

As both Khoza and Jordaan are essential cogs in the wheel of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, FIFA President Sepp Blatter sent a letter to Safa urging them to postpone the election until after the World Cup, in order to keep things running smoothly.

Sepp Blatter Urged Safa to Postpone Till after 2010

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has on numerous occasions urged Safa and its president, Molefi Oliphant, to postpone the elections until after the 2010 World Cup.

Safa told Blatter the elections would go ahead as per their constitution, with a new president taking over from Oliphant, who is not seeking re-election. Valcke said FIFA will send its representatives to monitor the elections, which have already split the local soccer fraternity into two factions.

Danny Jordaan vs Irvin Khoza

As things stand, Local Organising Committee chairman Irvin Khoza and chief executive Danny Jordaan have emerged as strong contenders to replace Oliphant. Safa executive member Kirsten Nematendani has also been nominated by the Football Transformation Forum as their preferred candidate, along with Jordaan.

However the SAFA, (and the massive egos of those concerned) is firm on its decision to go ahead with the elections come what may in this race which is already sparking allegations of payoffs and kickbacks as two of the great men of local soccer battle for the top position.

FIFA has also taken a decision based on its constitution that whoever wins the elections will have to resign from their position on the LOC, which is another anomaly, because in the past this rule hasn’t applied to others in the same position.

SA Government Will Not Interfere

South African Government sports Minister of Sport and Recreation, Makhenkesi Stofile, said government will not interfere since the election is a private matter among members of the association.

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Yesterday, Cape Town mayor Dan Plato and Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, Dr Danny Jordaan,  signed the service level agreement for Cape Town to host the tournament’s Final Draw at the Cape Town International Convention Center on 4 December this year.

Final 2010 World Cup Draw

The Draw, which is expected to be broadcast in almost 200 countries and attended by about 2 000 guests and around 800 media representatives, will determine the match order for the world’s top 32 teams who will contest Africa’s first FIFA World Cup from 11 June to 11 July 2010.

Danny Jodaan at the Port Eliabeth Stadium

World Cup Match Ball

Jordaan said that South Africa was looking forward to the draw as we would then know where all the teams would be playing. He also added that the official 2010 Soccer Ball ball would be revealed at that occasion.

According to Business Day, to date, 800000 of the 3,2-million World Cup tickets have been sold, with 240000 snapped up by South Africans, 57000 sold in the US and 27000 in Australia. Not many tickets have been sold in the rest of Africa, although Ghana is an exception.

Jordaan was confident all the tickets would be sold, despite some concerns over what was perceived to be a poor turnout at this year’s Confederations Cup. Contrary to popular belief, ticket sales at the Confederations Cup were the third-highest in history, he said

“There is no doubt that we will sell out all the tickets. I expect a spike in ticket sales from different locations as more teams qualify. Once Brazil and Mexico qualify, the tickets will disappear. But if you still want to buy tickets for the opening and final matches, then you are in trouble,” he said.

Of the 2-million tickets left, many have been reserved for Fifa’s commercial partners and guests.

Pic of Danny Jordaan – www.shine2010.co.za

Popularity: 12% [?]