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down-the-slope
07-06-2010, 04:03 PM
Do you reckon the SA WC will be a great success or failure of organisation?

pros include - the enthusiasm of the fans (horns excepted:grr:) that Africa is getting a chance to benefit economically, that it won't have the weather extremes of some tournaments (winter in SA) etc

cons include - not easy to get there overland for fans making it expensive for other than locals, fears over infastructure not working (last SA friendly was half empty -even although all tickets sold -due to traffic chaos), locals being used to just turning (without tickets) up meaning crowd crushes possible, etc

Woody1985
07-06-2010, 04:52 PM
I'm not sure, what I am sure of though having seen a couple of programs relating to SA is that people have been moved out of their former home (****ty as they were) to make way for stadiums and are homeless now or staying in camps. Not great for those people or their economy. None of them were white on the programs that I've seen, not sure if that is significant but it was an observation.

There's also something in the paper today about a WC friendly held there and 16 people were crushed due to what would appear as ineffective crowd control. Worrying as I think it was held in one of the new stadiums.

EDIT; Just seen this. Apparently no FIFA involvement and it wasn't at one of the host stadiums.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8726352.stm

EskbankHibby
07-06-2010, 05:06 PM
Hope i'm wrong but i think this may be a disaster waiting to happen.

Was watching SSN this morning and it showed a senior police officer giving a wee pep talk to a couple of hundred of his officers but this was done on camera and the impression i got was that it was being done largely for show.

The crushing that ocurred at the Nigerian friendly yesterday was a bit worrying as if they have problems with a friendly between Nigeria and Korea god knows what a semi final between England and Germany would throw up in terms of potential problems.

Not just problems with the SA authorities but their communication (or lack of) with FIFA and other National Associations could lead to problems.

patlowe
07-06-2010, 05:12 PM
Really interesting podcast here (http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/fivelive/5lfd/5lfd_20100605-1930a.mp3) (hosted by Trevor Nelson!) on the pros and cons of SA hosting the World Cup, including a very powerful testimony from a local. There is a large likelihood that FIFA et al will shine the spotlight on SA for the next 5 weeks so it (and the rest of the Western world) feels good about itself, while the host country will remain ravaged by extreme poverty and the financial burden of holding such an expensive event.

cad
07-06-2010, 06:55 PM
I think it will be a World Cup remembered for ALL the wrong reasons ,wait till it gets into full swing ,it could get very Messi ,pun intended:agree:

Storar
07-06-2010, 06:57 PM
I think it will be a World Cup remembered for ALL the wrong reasons ,wait till it gets into full swing ,it could get very Messi ,pun intended:agree:

No chance. It's going to be a complete success, the country is very well prepared for it and there's nothing that will go wrong here that couldn't go wrong at Easter Road on a saturday.

CallumLaidlaw
07-06-2010, 07:02 PM
I'm very excited about this tournament. The stadiums look immense, and i think there will be a real party atmosphere at the games.
Lets just hope nomore of the stars get crocked.

blackpoolhibs
07-06-2010, 07:07 PM
I think we could get some horrendous stories in the coming weeks, murders, beatings, robbery. You wouldn't get me anywhere near the place.

cad
07-06-2010, 07:56 PM
No chance. It's going to be a complete success, the country is very well prepared for it and there's nothing that will go wrong here that couldn't go wrong at Easter Road on a saturday.


I hope your right and 100% wrong

Storar
07-06-2010, 08:31 PM
I think we could get some horrendous stories in the coming weeks, murders, beatings, robbery. You wouldn't get me anywhere near the place.
And what about the horrendous stories about murders, beatings, robbery not to mention kidnap, rape etc that we see in the papers every day in the UK?. The way the British media shows South Africa is pretty ridiculous but by making them out to be a bunch of savages it can makes them look better themselves. I can't wait for it to start:thumbsup:

PISTOL1875
07-06-2010, 08:31 PM
What will end up in a mess is the state of En-ger-lund fans if they start there boxing with the South African Polis..

madabouthibs
07-06-2010, 10:32 PM
What will end up in a mess is the state of En-ger-lund fans if they start there boxing with the South African Polis..
Thats what I'm waiting on. They'll all be giving it "Oh the police where heavy handed" and "Oh they pointed a gun at me" and of course "Oh it was never a penalty". :greengrin

ionahibby
07-06-2010, 10:40 PM
I think we could get some horrendous stories in the coming weeks, murders, beatings, robbery. You wouldn't get me anywhere near the place.

I go to scotland games but know way i would be going there no chance!

thefamousfive
07-06-2010, 10:44 PM
Lived in Jo'burg on and off and other parts of S.A for 3 years and overall a good experience, but in terms of organising a W.C I do worry about the shambles not to mention the bloody horns that almost put me off football while I was there. Unless the S.A police get heavy handed and sweep the trouble away on a temp basis (like Lothians finest do to the homeless people of Edinburgh during the festival) I doubt that it will be a success. They cant control the violence and crime even when its quiet. I for the first time am glad I am not at a World Cup and i never thought I would think that.

Jack
07-06-2010, 10:52 PM
I thought it would be a disaster and only recently FIFA pumped a good few more millions into it.
.
Despite all the potential of crime and terrorism I'm actually thinking just now quite positive about it but I'm still fairly certain it will have its moments.
.
Thats a fairly robust fence I'm sitting on!
.

ionahibby
07-06-2010, 11:00 PM
I thought it would be a disaster and only recently FIFA pumped a good few more millions into it.
.
Despite all the potential of crime and terrorism I'm actually thinking just now quite positive about it but I'm still fairly certain it will have its moments.
.
Thats a fairly robust fence I'm sitting on!
.

:faf: thats cheered me up before bed time great quote!