The Fifa technical Study Group (TSG) comprised of among others our own Jomo Sono, Zambia’s Kalusha Bwalya and Frenchman Gerard Houllier.

The group covered all the matches and filed reports on wide-ranging issues during the tournament, including offering their unique and exclusive views in informative columns, picking out and commenting on the highlights of the day’s games. The TSG has been present at every FIFA competition for the last 40 years.

The group’s thoughts on Africa concluded that the timing of some of the appointments was Africa’s downfall. Five of the six African teams were knocked out in the group stage with only Ghana reached the quarter-final stage.

“Five of the six African teams had foreign coaches, most of whom were either brought on board at short notice or only for the World Cup finals. The coaches’ chances of success were limited by the fact that they often did not fully identify with the African culture, mentality and lifestyle or knew too little about these factors,” the report notes.

In fact, Nigeria hired Lars Lagerback at the end of March, barely three months before the start of the tournament in June.

Furthermore, the report claims that the staging of the Africa Cup of Nations during the same year as the World Cup probably had a negative effect on the Africans.

“Another issue is the staging of the Africa Cup of Nations in the same year as the World Cup. The difficulty resides in keeping players motivated and fit for two such major competitions. Two tournaments of this stature within six months of each other imposes an extreme mental burden on the players, particularly due to the great pressure to perform to which the players are also exposed their clubs,” the report argues.

The report further claims South Africa lacks faith in youth as opposed to their counterparts, Ghana and that could have been one of the differences between the two teams.

“Ghana’s ongoing youth and development work was clearly in evidence, with five members of the team that won the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in 2009 making their squad, two of whom were regulars, with another player starting three matches.

"The fact that youth football is viewed differently in South Africa than in Ghana was demonstrated by the fact that none of the players used by South Africa at the U-20 World Cup in Egypt were selected for the senior squad,” it says.

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Cantona:2010-09-02 17:49

Ahhh..Hindsight has perfect 20/20 vision..

Ginger:2010-09-02 18:24

Oh please......this is another plan to reduce the representation of African teams in the World Cup.As for Jomo he mst go hang himself, he said he doesnt even watch bafana, theres always a funeral or something in his family...what crap,nxxx!!!

Ginger:2010-09-02 18:25

And the next thing he wants to coach bafana!!!

mose:2010-09-02 20:36

Good report there!Not until Africans invest in youth football, the World Cup will forever elude us.

BAN:2010-09-02 21:19

There is no short cut to success. Unless we begin to clear the ground, plant, water and put fertilizer there will be no grwoth. Of course, harvest will be impossible. NFF take note.

ejay:2010-09-02 22:23

common sense.. what we have been saying like forever. some people still dont get it

The Ghost:2010-09-02 23:57

Very true, especially the part about South Africa neglecting it's youth development ... something that should not even be a debate for a country with unspeakable resources to fund such a program. Inexcusable!!!

JAMES FELDKIRCH:2010-09-03 06:19

The Nigeria Football Federation says the post of Super Eagles coach will now be advertised while elections into the local government and state football bodies will hold in December.

At its inaugural meeting on Thursday in Abuja, the NFF also suspended the commencement of the 2010/2011 Nigeria Premier League season, which was scheduled for September 25.

Briefing the media on the meeting’s seven-point communiqué, a member of the new executive committee, Mr Chris Green, said the decisions were part of efforts to streamline NFF’s activities.

“The vacant position of Super Eagles’ chief coach is to be advertised and filled by October 1, and in this regard everybody, including foreign coaches, is free to apply,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that this resolution reversed the decision of the immediate past NFF executive committee which had already commenced contractual negotiations with former Eagles striker Samson Siasia.

Green explained why the body suspended the NPL season.

“We also took this measure so as to iron out all outstanding issues in order to ensure a smooth take-off of the league,’’ he said.

The NPL board had earlier in the day met to reaffirm the September 25 date and further outlined its preparations for the new season.

The NFF dissolved all its standing committees and promised to constitute new ones soon. It also deliberated on elections at state and local government levels.

“Elections into the local government councils and state football associations shall be conducted in the month of December, 2010,‘‘ Green said.

The decision on local and state levels’ elections was in line with the promise by new NFF President Aminu Maigari in his inaugural speech.

The controversy generated over elections at the state and local government levels had led to calls for a postponement of the NFF elections.

The inaugural meeting, which was held at NFF secretariat, was attended by 10 of the 11 members elected into the new executive committee on August 26.

Moletsaphala(Tanki habedi Tanki hararo) :2010-09-03 07:06

Nigeria can change coaches bt they still wont do well. Age forgery is de main problem. Taiwo had to be subsituted twice during world cup despite having properly warmed up. The reason is age catching up with him even though they claim he's only 25. They must just stick to drugs. Chineke!

Wonder:2010-09-03 07:28

I hope somebody somewhere ain't doing an Oliphant and Khoza style, sweeping these important issues under the carpet. South Africa can not afford to continue in this downward spiral, something needs to be done.

Selecting Sangweni or Booth while leaving out Xulu shows lack of foresight. Mandla Masango,Jali,Claasen,Erasmus and Darren Keet should feature prominently there, that is our future!!

Mriyo::2010-09-03 07:32

The sooner Africans realiz dat foregn coches r jus here 4 money the beta,we realy bliv that anything outside africa is gud,ur local coches wont get recognition coz of thiz palokas.Local clubs mus initiate this n employ local coches,i hav neva heard of foregn coches in Brazil(corect me if rong)bt luk where they r.

CTK:2010-09-03 07:55

It looks like we as Africans we don't learn, from SA first WC participation we made drastic changes in coaching department and we paid the price, it has been a case at least in 3-4 African Countries who were in 2010 WC

wandy:2010-09-03 08:25

honestly, south africa doesnt hv faith in d youngstars. Wonder has a point, we cnt keep on selecting Booth in d expense of young players lyk Xulu. Also hw do u justify d constant exclusion of young players lyk Pattison, Khwela, Mokotjo & Thulani Hlatshwayo. Dis is d cream of d current crop of players. They just need a chance & exposure.

Shaun:2010-09-03 09:19

jomo must also do a study on his own set up at his team ,bcz it reads 40 exports no honours...... nfd ,nd no ambition.

Niceguy:2010-09-03 09:57

This Idiot called maigari have started dribbling Nigerians like his godfather lulu did, I think is time for Mr. President to call him to order and ask him where he is dribbling to. I think there most be secret behind the so called nff always denying Siasia what he merited, from lulu to maigari.

Soccer Critic ( Tivani ):2010-09-03 10:01

Vuvuzelas set for blast off at Commonwealth Games"


Loved and loathed in equal measure, the drone of the vuvuzela will resonate in India for the first time at the Commonwealth Games in October.

The plastic horn, which went on to become Soccer's World Cup soundtrack in South Africa this year, will be part of Delhi's noisy celebration for the October 3 -14 multi-sports gathering, organisers said on Thursday.

Even though the cacophony received a resounding thumbs-down in Europe, the chairperson of the event's official merchandising partner, Premier Brands, said the high decibel level should not be a problem in India.

"In India we enjoy sports with lot of noise. We are not like the Europeans," Suresh Kumar told Reuters on Friday.

"The organising committee only needs to ensure that the fans are allowed to enter the stadiums with the vuvuzelas and it is not perceived as a security issue."

Kumar refused to share the sales target and where he was sourcing the horns from.

"With just a month to go for the Games to start, we have not set ourselves any target but I can assure you that supply would not be an issue."

Unlike the ones sold in South Africa, the vuvuzelas would be decorated in Indian colours and priced at a little less than $4.

Apart from the company website, vuvuzelas and other official merchandise products could be obtained from mobile vans which will visit schools in the morning and shopping malls and residential areas in the afternoon.


*** Good news indeed

KaMashobana:2010-09-03 10:44

Its strange that in SA we beleive that kids can fail at pre-school, grade 7 and matric and then from nowhere get distictions at unirvesities/colleges etc. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!!!!We need to put more resources at youth level to devep our players so that they can compete at the highest level at that age. It would also be easy for them sign for big leagues while still young. No foreign team in the big 3/4 will ever sign Sangweni , @ 29........it does not make businss sense.

Segun:2010-09-03 13:43

FIFA should just shut up. The orgasation is part of Africa's problem with her double standard and support for corrupt football organisation.

Nnaa:2010-09-03 16:13

@Moletsaphala: I assume you're a South African, sorry to say but you're such a nitwit. FIFA presented a report regarding African teams at the world cup and the only problem you have with that report is Nigeria and age cheating. The mention of your so-called youths not being among the banana- banana, oh sorry, bafana-bafana squad to the mundial did not bother you. I really advice you make suggestions to your football association on ways to improve your game and leave Nigeria with its problem(s) alone, its not our making that we are the largest black nation in the world. You mentioned Taiwo and your idea of his age, forgetting that this is a world cup in question here, not an age group competition, a mistake that only certified morons make. To even think your only proof was that he was substituted twice despite haven warmed up is sickening and really knocks holes in your entire reasoning ability. People like you give Africans a bad name. My advice to you my friend is this: Be a little wiser in the things you say, think them through first. You really messed up with your submissions here, the smell of it deeply suggests a bad-breath syndrome and really carried far.!

Udeme:2010-09-04 07:05

@Nnaa, thank you very much for responding to that fool called Moletsaphala. I wanted to respond to his comments but I think its a waste of time to respond to people like him. I think he should just stick to what people like him do best in South Africa (R.a.p.i.n.g women and children with the hope that it can help to cure HIV/AIDS).

:2010-09-04 14:23

@Udeme-dnt talk kak about south african people,get ur facts right!

Gbenga:2010-09-04 20:19

My people let us move further and let Kaita bee, beside, this has happend to Zidan of France before.

Solomon:2010-09-04 20:46

Moletsaphala,you must be a non-intellectual person.The report was for the whole african team,but just bcos of your low thinking faculty,the only comment that you can make is about our great country Nigeria.Pls next time think b4 you write anytin.Thank you and may God renew your sense of reasoning.

Udeme:2010-09-05 08:09

@He that has no name, here are the facts. I got this from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1909220.stm

Other websites include http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/444213

Baby rape

The majority of the victims are 12 years old or younger. Many of the perpetrators are themselves children.



"Baby Tshepang" was just 9 months old when she was brutally raped in the Northern Cape town of Louisvale in the early hours of 27 October, 2001.

Baby rape is not a new phenomenon in South African society, but it is becoming more common.

One possible reason, say Aids activists, is the myth, widespread in southern Africa, that sex with a child or baby will rid a man of HIV or Aids.