A government plan to nationalize South Africa's ailing soccer team in a bid to avoid embarrassment during the 2010 World Cup has angered soccer bosses and players who warned it could backfire.
"It's going to be very difficult for clubs to release players for such a long time frame [from now to the Cup]," said Brian Sebapole, a former national player and an executive in the Professional Players Union.
"Clubs have made huge investments, paid money to get the players. The plan is experimental and highly risky and may backfire. No one will want to sacrifice his [club] salary for two years," he said.
Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile proposed this week that the country's top 50 players be contracted to the government for two years so that a winning team can be nurtured ahead of South Africa hosting the 2010 soccer spectacular -- the first to be held on the continent.
"We'll contract the players and tell the coach: `Here, work with them'. They won't play for their [domestic and international] clubs for two years and will be preparing only for the World Cup soccer tournament," Stofile told parliament. "We have to prevent them [the team] from embarrassing us."
Sebapole said players may well be excited to represent their national team in the first World Cup on home soil, but would need some convincing.
"Players may not want to be part of the plan if they are not assured of being featured in the first 22," he said.
The national squad, Bafana Bafana (Zulu for "boys") has had a series of bad results, including a first-round exit from the Africa Nations Cup in Ghana last month.
The team lies 71st on the ranking of world soccer body FIFA, despite acquiring the services of Brazil's 2006 World Cup-winning coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, at a domestic record 1.8 million rand (US$227,000) a month.
Stofile said top players should be placed under government contract, paid monthly allowances and play regular practice matches against local clubs.
Sebapole said a one-year period may be more realistic for clubs to "be patriotic and release players."
Irvin Khoza, South Africa's Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman and owner of the Orlando Pirates club, said commercial interests were at stake.
"While we agree that something needs to be done about our national team, the issue has not been made official to us.
"It is a delicate issue because it affects sponsors, broadcasters, clubs, players. There are breach [of agreement] issues," Khoza said, adding the PSL was considering proposals for Parreira to be allowed to assemble players four months before the 2010 kick-off.
"It's going to be very difficult because you actually say for example, Benni McCarthy should not be available for his club, which is paying him huge amounts of money, for two years," Jomo Cosmos club boss Jomo Sono said. "You are saying clubs ... should suffer for two years without their best players."
US President Donald Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, is poised to make her LPGA Tour debut after receiving a sponsor invitation on Tuesday to the Nov. 13 to 16 tournament at Pelican Golf Club in Florida. “My dream has been to compete with the best in the world on the LPGA Tour,” Kai Trump said in a statement posted on the LPGA’s Web site. “This event will be an incredible experience,” she said. “I look forward [to] meeting and competing against so many of my heroes and mentors in golf as I make my LPGA Tour debut.” The 18-year-old high-school senior,
REACTION: Less than 24 hours after a 18-inning Game 3 loss, the Blue Jays’ win ensured that the best-of-seven series is to head back to Toronto for Game 6 tomorrow Vladimir Guerrero Jr on Tuesday blasted a two-run home run as the Toronto Blue Jays bounced back to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 and tie the MLB World Series at two games apiece. Less than 24 hours after a shattering 18-inning Game 3 loss, the Blue Jays climbed off the canvas to breathe new life into their hopes of a first MLB title in 32 years. Guerrero’s two-run blast off Dodgers starter Shohei Ohtani and a superb pitching performance from ace Shane Bieber laid the foundations for a gutsy victory that silenced Dodger Stadium. “I’m always trying to compete
Jannik Sinner on Thursday eased past Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 at the Paris Masters to set up a quarter-final clash with Ben Shelton, while reigning champion Alexander Zverev earned a straight-sets win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round. A maiden crown in the French capital would return Sinner to No. 1 in the world rankings after current incumbent Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock early exit at the hands of Britain’s Cameron Norrie. The Italian four-time Grand Slam champion is yet to drop a set in the tournament as he hones in on what would be a fifth title of the
Retired defender Jerome Boateng on Saturday pulled out of a planned coaching internship at Bayern Munich after fans voiced their objection due to the FIFA 2014 World Cup winner being found guilty of assaulting a former girlfriend last year. The former Bayern and Germany defender, who played for the club between 2011 and 2021, had discussed a short internship with coach Vincent Kompany. “Following the recent discussion regarding myself, I have decided to focus on my issues such as the A training license.... That is where my focus is,” he said in a social media post addressed to Bayern and
RSS