This isn't about soccer, really. It's about South Africa. Which is going to host the World Cup in 90-some days.
South Africa is a place of some fairly intense political rhetoric. Given its history, understandably. But the place seems to move forward when it does its best to look ahead, not back.
And in this case we have the loose cannon of the African National Congress, name of Julius Malema, president of the ANC's youth league, singing a song about killing Boers in a public appearance at a university in Johannesburg.
"Boer" is the name usually given to the (mostly) Dutch settlers who dominated the country for about 400 years.
What does this mean for the World Cup?
Probably nothing. Governments of all stripes tend to put aside their internal rivalries when a huge event comes to their country. They declare a sort of truce until the event is complete.
That said, it's getting late for South Africa to have some fairly significant political turmoil. With some calling for the censure of president Jacob Zuma for various and sundry personal failings, and now we have one political figure laying "a criminal charge" against Malema (who may also be a crook, but that's another story) ... for inciting violence against Boers.
Malema apparently led a chorus of an apartheid era song that includes lyrics pertaining to killing the Boers -- who these days generally are known as farmers. Who are, in fact, sometimes victims of violence, as the linked story noted.
So, yes, fairly provocative. Where does it all go? Perhaps heated rhetoric is what South Africa does. I've been following the country only since last summer. Maybe it means nothing significant.
To those of us of a literal bent, a song that advocates killing on a race basis ... is pretty strong stuff. It would be the end of a politician's career in, say, the United States.
In South Africa, perhaps not. But it gives us a bit more insight into the backdrop on which the 2010 World Cup will be played out, three months hence.
Read more!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
SA2010 Mascot Sweatshop Shut Down
This could be one of the seedier stories of South Africa 2010, and here's the latest:
The Chinese factory making "Zakumi" mascot dolls has been shut down, and we would like to think because it was paying its workers next to nothing. (Well, about $3 a day, actually.) And maybe that is the case.
It gets a little cheesier than the overt exploitation of Chinese workers.
Some of the workers are children.
As the story notes, the factory in/near Shanghai is owned by an ethnic Chinese who now lives in South Africa and in a member of parliament for the ruling party, the African National Congress.
Hmm. Not a great example. And the organizers haven't been exactly diligent, have they, about seeing where the contracts for dolls have gone.
Cosatu, the umbrella labor organization in South Africa, is not happy about any of this. It believes all souvenirs pertaining to the World Cup to be made in South Africa. For a decent wage. There has been talk of boycotts, etc.
And Fifa alleges to be shocked (shocked, I tell you) that this is going on. It took newspapers investigating to bring it to light, but at least Fifa didn't quite have the brass to say, "So what," issuing statements about how all the other souvenirs are legit.
However, the story quotes the owner as suggesting that the sweatshop will be open again soon. See, they're paying the folks more, etc.
This isn't over. Not if tens of thousands of figurines from exploited workers are knocking around South Africa and selling for something like 100 times what they cost to be made.
The irony of this is that China, a worker's paradise, is the country doing the exploiting, and South Africa, in theory a capitalist country, is the place with labor unions complaining. The world is upside down.
Read more!
The Chinese factory making "Zakumi" mascot dolls has been shut down, and we would like to think because it was paying its workers next to nothing. (Well, about $3 a day, actually.) And maybe that is the case.
It gets a little cheesier than the overt exploitation of Chinese workers.
Some of the workers are children.
As the story notes, the factory in/near Shanghai is owned by an ethnic Chinese who now lives in South Africa and in a member of parliament for the ruling party, the African National Congress.
Hmm. Not a great example. And the organizers haven't been exactly diligent, have they, about seeing where the contracts for dolls have gone.
Cosatu, the umbrella labor organization in South Africa, is not happy about any of this. It believes all souvenirs pertaining to the World Cup to be made in South Africa. For a decent wage. There has been talk of boycotts, etc.
And Fifa alleges to be shocked (shocked, I tell you) that this is going on. It took newspapers investigating to bring it to light, but at least Fifa didn't quite have the brass to say, "So what," issuing statements about how all the other souvenirs are legit.
However, the story quotes the owner as suggesting that the sweatshop will be open again soon. See, they're paying the folks more, etc.
This isn't over. Not if tens of thousands of figurines from exploited workers are knocking around South Africa and selling for something like 100 times what they cost to be made.
The irony of this is that China, a worker's paradise, is the country doing the exploiting, and South Africa, in theory a capitalist country, is the place with labor unions complaining. The world is upside down.
Read more!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Fifa Closes Door on Technology
You've heard about Fifa's slogan, right?
"World football: Where it's always 1934!"
So, Fifa has decided to give up experiments with video cameras to determine if a ball has actually crossed the goal line. Nothing that really matters.
The rich part of this?
Jerome Valcke, the mouthpiece of president Sepp Blatter, said he really hopes South Africa 2010 doesn't have a controversial goal/non-goal that accurate (but non-official) television replays fail to verify.
"Questons will always come," Herr Valcke concedes. "We just hope they will not come in the final of the World Cup."
Actually, I hope they do. Perhaps that is what it would take to drag Fifa, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century. And, yes, I know we're now in the 21st century.
Look at some of the comments deeper in the linked story, from the retired referee. He suggests it mostly is about arrogance. "We are the world's No. 1 sport. We got here with the rules and the system we have now. So why change anything?"
Fifa officials wouldn't want to have considered that the world wasn't flat, either. Too much bother.
We have never suggested that every professional soccer game in the world needs to have instant replay. But for the World Cup? Yes. It should. Real goals should count. Non goals should not.
This seems really easy. But Fifa is easily befuddled. Read more!
"World football: Where it's always 1934!"
So, Fifa has decided to give up experiments with video cameras to determine if a ball has actually crossed the goal line. Nothing that really matters.
The rich part of this?
Jerome Valcke, the mouthpiece of president Sepp Blatter, said he really hopes South Africa 2010 doesn't have a controversial goal/non-goal that accurate (but non-official) television replays fail to verify.
"Questons will always come," Herr Valcke concedes. "We just hope they will not come in the final of the World Cup."
Actually, I hope they do. Perhaps that is what it would take to drag Fifa, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century. And, yes, I know we're now in the 21st century.
Look at some of the comments deeper in the linked story, from the retired referee. He suggests it mostly is about arrogance. "We are the world's No. 1 sport. We got here with the rules and the system we have now. So why change anything?"
Fifa officials wouldn't want to have considered that the world wasn't flat, either. Too much bother.
We have never suggested that every professional soccer game in the world needs to have instant replay. But for the World Cup? Yes. It should. Real goals should count. Non goals should not.
This seems really easy. But Fifa is easily befuddled. Read more!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Update on South Africa Stadiums
If you don't follow the Johannesburg Sunday Times as I do ...
The newspaper today did an update on the 10 stadiums that will be used for South Africa 2010.
Here is a capsule appraisal, stadium-by-stadium.
To see what it all means, check your team's schedule and see where they will play.
You probably don't want your lads playing in Nelspruit, where the stadium has no grass -- fewer than 100 days from kickoff. You may have some issues seeing matches in Cape Town, where the nearest rail line is several miles from the stadium. Ellis Park, in Joburg, has parking issues.
Oh, and back to Nelspruit: The Times warns that it will be dark, very dark, as you enter the parking lot.
Good stuff to know. Read more!
The newspaper today did an update on the 10 stadiums that will be used for South Africa 2010.
Here is a capsule appraisal, stadium-by-stadium.
To see what it all means, check your team's schedule and see where they will play.
You probably don't want your lads playing in Nelspruit, where the stadium has no grass -- fewer than 100 days from kickoff. You may have some issues seeing matches in Cape Town, where the nearest rail line is several miles from the stadium. Ellis Park, in Joburg, has parking issues.
Oh, and back to Nelspruit: The Times warns that it will be dark, very dark, as you enter the parking lot.
Good stuff to know. Read more!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Sven-Goran to Ivory Coast?
Doesn't he need to get one of these job soon or risk looking silly?
Talking about Sven-Goran Eriksson and Ivory Coast here. Our favorite former England and Mexico coach apparently is a candidate for the open job at the 2010 World Cup.
Let's see, what other jobs has SGE pursued?
His name came up in connection to the North Korea job, but it never actually came open, perhaps because North Korea had another bad harvest and can't afford him.
Then it came up for discussion when Nigeria went looking for a coach, and the England media seemed to think he would get it, and he was one of five finalists. But the job went to another Swede, Lars Lagerbeck, instead.
And now SGE is chasing Ivory Coast. And perhaps vice versa. He seemed to have the right idea when he denied being interested in the job when he saw Ivory Coast lost (2-0) to South Korea in London on Wednesday.
Everyone's first choice is Guus Hiddink, of course, but he still is being paid by Russia and perhaps the Ivorians don't want to deal with what could be a messy buyout.
So maybe Sven-Goran has a chance. But if he doesn't get this one, he officially becomes The New Bridesmaid of international soccer. Someone throw that man a bouquet. Read more!
Talking about Sven-Goran Eriksson and Ivory Coast here. Our favorite former England and Mexico coach apparently is a candidate for the open job at the 2010 World Cup.
Let's see, what other jobs has SGE pursued?
His name came up in connection to the North Korea job, but it never actually came open, perhaps because North Korea had another bad harvest and can't afford him.
Then it came up for discussion when Nigeria went looking for a coach, and the England media seemed to think he would get it, and he was one of five finalists. But the job went to another Swede, Lars Lagerbeck, instead.
And now SGE is chasing Ivory Coast. And perhaps vice versa. He seemed to have the right idea when he denied being interested in the job when he saw Ivory Coast lost (2-0) to South Korea in London on Wednesday.
Everyone's first choice is Guus Hiddink, of course, but he still is being paid by Russia and perhaps the Ivorians don't want to deal with what could be a messy buyout.
So maybe Sven-Goran has a chance. But if he doesn't get this one, he officially becomes The New Bridesmaid of international soccer. Someone throw that man a bouquet. Read more!
Friday, March 5, 2010
China Plays a Friendly; Dutch Do Not
Interesting story out of China.
China played Portugal in an international friendly in Coimbre on Wednesday, and when it was over China's coach told the Chinese media that he instructed his players not to play too roughly.
He didn't want anyone to get hurt. And miss the World Cup. Including Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he mentioned by name. "We don't want a World Cup without Cristiano Ronaldo because of our fault," he said.
The United States must wish the Netherlands approached these things in the same way.
The U.S. played the Dutch the same night, and they didn't bother with politesse.
One of their players, midfielder Nigel De Jong, made a truly ugly, over-the-ball, shin-high tackle of American midfielder Stuart Holden, one of his country's rising players, and inflicted a broken fibula on Holden.
Holden will be out at least six weeks. It could be longer. He might miss the World Cup.
De Jong has been pilloried by American fans for his tackle, and rightly so. It is hard even to imagine what he was thinking, when he went in so hard and so high and so late. He clearly took the "friend" out of "friendly."
We know why the Americans played the Netherlands and not China. Because the Netherlands is in the World Cup and China is not, and because the Netherlands vaguely resembles England, whom the Yanks get in their opening match, June 12.
But now that it is over, the U.S. coaching staff must wish the Dutch had approached the match with the same "let's make sure no one gets hurt" spirit that China's coach said was uppermost in his mind. Read more!
China played Portugal in an international friendly in Coimbre on Wednesday, and when it was over China's coach told the Chinese media that he instructed his players not to play too roughly.
He didn't want anyone to get hurt. And miss the World Cup. Including Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he mentioned by name. "We don't want a World Cup without Cristiano Ronaldo because of our fault," he said.
The United States must wish the Netherlands approached these things in the same way.
The U.S. played the Dutch the same night, and they didn't bother with politesse.
One of their players, midfielder Nigel De Jong, made a truly ugly, over-the-ball, shin-high tackle of American midfielder Stuart Holden, one of his country's rising players, and inflicted a broken fibula on Holden.
Holden will be out at least six weeks. It could be longer. He might miss the World Cup.
De Jong has been pilloried by American fans for his tackle, and rightly so. It is hard even to imagine what he was thinking, when he went in so hard and so high and so late. He clearly took the "friend" out of "friendly."
We know why the Americans played the Netherlands and not China. Because the Netherlands is in the World Cup and China is not, and because the Netherlands vaguely resembles England, whom the Yanks get in their opening match, June 12.
But now that it is over, the U.S. coaching staff must wish the Dutch had approached the match with the same "let's make sure no one gets hurt" spirit that China's coach said was uppermost in his mind. Read more!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Hiddink to Ivory Coast?
Guus Hiddink has a spare couple of weeks, so it makes sense that someone would hire him to lead their team to South Africa 2010.
That someone appears to be Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast confirms they are in talks with Hiddink -- who failed to get Russia to the upcoming World Cup.
But the Dutchman has had plenty of World Cup success before, which is why countries are lining up to hire him.
In 1998, Hiddink got Netherlands to the semifinals at France.
In 2002, he took South Korea to the semifinals.
In 2006, he led Australia to the second round.
In 2008, he got Russia to the Euro semifinals.
So Russia bombing out of the European qualifying for South Africa ... not exactly a career-wrecker for Guus.
He is under contract to Russia through the World Cup, and after that he will take over Turkey.
Presumably, he (or the Ivory Coast) will have to buy out the rest of his contract with Russia, and maybe even pay some sort of premium, if the Russians bargain hard.
Ivory Coast may be more inclined to do whatever it takes to bring in Guus, considering their coachless team was knocked around by South Korea, 2-0, at a neutral site in London. Not a good result for a team most people were touting as the most likely African team to make a long run this summer.
Look for it to happen, if Guus can escape the Russia contract maybe two months early. Read more!
That someone appears to be Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast confirms they are in talks with Hiddink -- who failed to get Russia to the upcoming World Cup.
But the Dutchman has had plenty of World Cup success before, which is why countries are lining up to hire him.
In 1998, Hiddink got Netherlands to the semifinals at France.
In 2002, he took South Korea to the semifinals.
In 2006, he led Australia to the second round.
In 2008, he got Russia to the Euro semifinals.
So Russia bombing out of the European qualifying for South Africa ... not exactly a career-wrecker for Guus.
He is under contract to Russia through the World Cup, and after that he will take over Turkey.
Presumably, he (or the Ivory Coast) will have to buy out the rest of his contract with Russia, and maybe even pay some sort of premium, if the Russians bargain hard.
Ivory Coast may be more inclined to do whatever it takes to bring in Guus, considering their coachless team was knocked around by South Korea, 2-0, at a neutral site in London. Not a good result for a team most people were touting as the most likely African team to make a long run this summer.
Look for it to happen, if Guus can escape the Russia contract maybe two months early. Read more!
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