World Cup Countdown # 8: Demise Of A Coach

South African based Manchester City fan sent us the following.

Last nights news stated that Joel Santana had resigned as coach of the South African team. This came as a bit of a surprise as in the evenings papers he had stated that his job was secure and he was planning his final team for the World Cup finals.

All was revealed this morning when the headlines stated that he had been sacked, surprisingly without even considering the reports of the three coaches who had been sent to observe his tactics and man management in Norway and Iceland. With his record he could hardly have expected to remain, but with only eight months to the big kick off the assistants are now in charge.

Red hot favourite to replace him is his predecessor Carlos Parreira, who recommended Santana as his replacement some eighteen months ago. This can hardly be seen as a big move forward.

By and large foreign trainers have not succeeded with African clubs as they fail to understand the mentality and work ethos of the local players. Probably the best chance of success would be to appoint one of the local managers, who with a bit of luck might be able to get the best out of what at the moment are a pretty average bunch of players. We shall have to wait and see but time is very short indeed

Urban unrest

Meanwhile, urban unrest continues in this country. In at least two towns the rule of law has virtually broken down as residents have gone on the rampage in protest against the lack of service delivery by their local councils-pot holed roads. No running water and electricity prices are steadily rising.

Back up generators

With regard to the latter, Eskom, the parasitical monolith has through graft, cupidity and downright bad management almost brought the supply of electricity to its knees. They state that they need money to upgrade and are requesting a 45% per cent increase in prices to the consumer for each of the next three years. If passed by Parliament (and it looks as if it will be ) this will quadruple the average households accounts by 2012.

This, despite the fact that their average profits over the past five years have totalled around five billion Rand per annum. Where has all this money gone? Huge pay offs to senior management who have either been fired or left and hopeless management of existing resources. This of course is why FIFA insisted on back up generators at each World Cup venue.

From a purely local point of view the feeling is that the tournament will be a good thing as it will divert the attentions of the criminals to the more well heeled visiting supporters, and us locals will get a months break from their depredations.

Stadia

All stadiums are virtually complete and stand in splendid isolation awaiting the big day. What happens to them after the tournament is over is another question. A suggestion has been made that Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium is presented, lock, stock and barrel to the Thai people whose rulers in the past, revered white elephants.

Corruption

Our Minister of Security hit the headlines last month when he ran up a bill of over a quarter of a million when he stayed in the presidential suite of a Capetown hotel, whilst his Parliamentary Offices were being redecorated. On being asked by the press he stated that he had not been aware of the daily costs of his room!. Not three weeks later it turns out that he had previously run up a bill over half a million whilst staying at the Durban Hilton, whilst engaged on urgent police duty. Of accountability there is nil and the people get the Government they deserve.

World Cup Countdown # 7 can be found here.

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