A panel debate about the 2010 Fifa World Cup was one of many interesting talks held at Think!Fest during the National Arts Festival.
A panel debate about the 2010 Fifa World Cup was one of many interesting talks held at Think!Fest during the National Arts Festival.
Juggling The Ball – A Panel Debate on the 2010 World Cup, was chaired by well known radio anchor John Perlman, and made up of Gerald de Kock (sports journalist and broadcaster), Harry Dugmore (MTN chair of Media Studies at Rhodes University), Gugu Zulu (racing driver) and Andre Arendse (former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper).
While the panel agreed that Bafana Bafana are unlikely to make the final in next year’s World Cup, Arendse believes the Bafana players are among the best skilled players, but there is no passion in the team. “We are ready to play”, said Arendse speaking of the great Bafana performance during the recent Confederations Cup.
However, Arendse said that while the team focus is on 2010 he was concerned about whether players are being groomed for 2014 and 2018.De Kock also believes that South Africans have become confident in the Bafana side the Confederations Cup, but said while the side need to market their success, South Africans should back the side and believe they can put on a good show at the World Cup.
Arendse, who was part of the Bafana Bafana team which won the African Cup of Nations in 1996, acknowledged that it was not the best team, but he believes the team could not have won if it was not for the support they received from local fans. Arendse also said that local clubs, individuals, SAFA and governing bodies needed to play a more active roll at the grassroots level. “We need to focus on the young, as they are the future players", he said.
Zulu expressed his concern about the many high schools that do not offer soccer as a sport as they focus mainly on rugby and cricket. Zulu believes soccer needs to be offered in high schools, and after schools the players can then go on to represent a soccer club.
