Horst Schmidt, the general secretary of the German football association and one of the driving forces behind the success of the World Cup in Germany last year as 1st vice-president of the German LOC is to be appointed as the coordinator of FIFA's 2010 World Cup project in South Africa.

Danny Jordaan was quick to tell anyone that would listen last week that everything was fine after news broke that South Africa could lose the event but this move is a sure sign by FIFA that they want the competition to be held in South Africa.

Schmidt will spend seven days a month as the coordinator of FIFA's 2010 World Cup project, using his experience to serve as FIFA General Secretary Urs Linsi's "extended arm" in South Africa and Zurich when it comes to the day-to-day management of preparations for the 2010 World Cup.

Schmidt was first involved when he helped organise the 1974 World Cup and he has spent many years as a FIFA expert in the areas of security and ticketing before most recently working on the 2006 World Cup operations.

Horst Schmidt is now the man and very soon he'll know exactly what position South Africa are in and if they're able to hold the event in 2010.

A quick note to anyone doing business with Mr Schmidt; don't make promises you can't keep and back up everything you are saying. There will be no more messing about as FIFA sending in their own man means this could very well be the last chance South Africa are going to get.