A strategy to undertake the momentous task of hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup and producing a home team that can acquit itself with credit in the tournament was launched by the South African Football Association (SAFA) executive at a three-day indaba in Magaliesburg over the weekend.

Labelled "Team 2010", one of the key elements of the ambitious programme is the planned appointment of a national technical director at the helm of a revamped technical committee that will consist of a maximum of nine members.

The absence of a suitable technical director and qualified technical committee to coordinate national teams at different age groups has long been considered the Achilles heel of the strategy to build a Bafana Bafana team measuring up to world standards.

The technical director will operate in close accord with the 2010 Bafana coach, whoever he might be, but will not encroach on the traditional independence of the man at the helm of the national senior team.

Instead, his main task will be to ensure that all national teams are operating "on the same wave length", with information and advice where needed filtering through to the national coach.

Safa's vision of 2010 includes the repositioning of the existing development trust, and it appointed Tokyo Sexwale as the new chairperson of an intensified operation.

Safa will seek to form a separate registered company to "exploit commercial opportunities resulting from the staging of the World Cup in South Africa".

Safa president Molefi Oliphant was mandated "to take responsibility of the building and completion of Safa House -- earmarked as the new headquarters of the national association".

The structure is due for completion early in 2006, but it remains a vague and mystery undertaking to a large extent, with no details available as to its exact positioning and how it can be completed at a breakneck pace.

The much-delayed completion of the FNB Stadium -- earmarked as the headquarters of the 2010 World Cup -- was described as "urgent", with the Soccer City Trust instructed to look into the matter immediately and ensure construction starts early next year.

Source: Mail& Guardian

blog comments powered by Disqus