World Cup legacy boosts South African league
Reuters - Friday 10 June 2011, 14:48
CAPE TOWN - South Africa has enjoyed one
of its most exciting domestic seasons with bigger crowds
flocking to iconic venues to watch games played on high quality
pitches thanks to the facilities used for the 2010 World Cup.
"The legacy of the World Cup has been proven by the standard
of the league games we've seen this season," said Kjetil Siem,
the former Norwegian television executive who has run South
Africa's professional league for the last four years.
"There can be no doubt we now have one of the best
developing leagues in the world. We are now in the top 15 of the
world for sure."
In the build-up to last year's finals, many people
questioned the country's ability to stage such a high-profile
tournament amid concerns about whether stadiums would be ready
on time after strikes among construction workers.
The crime rate and traffic congestion were also concerns
whilst a pay dispute involving stewards forced police to take
over security at some stadiums soon after the matches began.
However, in the event the month-long soccer extravaganaza
passed without any major incident and was declared a great
success even though South Africa became the first host nation
not to get past the first stage of a World Cup.
Bafana Bafana have recovered from that setback with their
FIFA world ranking now up to 38 from 90 in April 2010.
MODERN FOOTBALL
South Africa are also set to qualify for the next African
Nations Cup after failing to reach the 2010 edition in Angola.
Carlos Alberto Parreira's successor as South Africa coach,
Pitso Mosimane, has sought to continue the experienced
Brazilian's work by keeping most of his team in place.
"Perhaps I don't have the same pressures as being the coach
of a host nation at a World Cup but as local coach I've got my
own responsibilities now that I have the Bafana Bafana job,"
Mosimane told Reuters in an interview.
"Like him, I want to play like the world plays, like modern
football is played. But I've put my own innovations into the
team too."
However, the domestic game has profited the most from the
World Cup with clubs making use of the new stadiums.
"It is an extremely tough league with a lot of good players
and some very well organised teams," Orlando Pirates Dutch coach
Ruud Krol said after guiding his side a league and cup double.
The Pirates claimed the title on goal difference from Ajax
Cape Town on a dramatic final day three weeks ago.
Ajax, coached by Dutchman Foppe de Haan, drew good crowds to
the new Cape Town World Cup stadium and the other new venues in
Polokwane, Nelspruit and Durban were also used for league games.
The National Cup final, in which Pirates came from behind to
beat second division Black Leopards 3-1, drew a capacity 42,000
crowd to the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on 28 May.