So now that it's all over

[endabob1]

Will there be a thousand news paper apologies for the scaremongering that was done in the build up.

• The false stories of "half-built" stadiums - All built fully operational, no problems
• The scare stories about the crime - half a million tourists a hand full of incidents
• The lack of organisation chaos of getting around - probably the one area where there were some actual problems but taken from the WSC website

  "My Swiss mates who were there all had a brilliant time, they were taken aback by the kindness of the locals, after months and months of gruelling headlines about the awfulness of South Africa crime-wise. Not a bad word about the organisation, which baring in mind their nationality, is high praise indeed..."

• The empty stadiums - Third highest attendance figures ever and most notably better than 2002 in Japan & Korea which was the last time FIFA took the Cup to one of the smaller confederations

I got tired defending SA in the build up to the world cup, as the British Press in particular seemed to continually attempt to undermine and belittle the organisation. I am delighted that South Africa has vindicated the decision to bring the World Cup here, it has been a huge success for the country and I hope it has improved the image of SA around the world, even if it has inflicted the Vuvuzela on you all!!

[Closed Account 2]

I went for 3 weeks and had a fantastic time, it's a wonderful place. Locals were really friendly and couldnt do enough to help you, there was great banter with most of the fans from the other teams there. I really can't recommend the place enough, there is so much to see and do and the locals are great. I didn't see any crime at all and generally felt safe the whole time, even taking the metro in Joburg and those minibuses in Durban.

[EAFC_rdfl]

pity about the debt its left SA to deal with

[outspoken]

Best ever World Cup off the field worst in my life time on the field (I can only remember 02 , 06 , this years WC) I think we have come to the end of a decade of magic football and defensive football eg. mourniho parking the bus will take over for the next decade......I hope not.

[pineapple stu]

How do you know what it was like off the field?

[endabob1]

pity about the debt its left SA to deal with

Yes and No, bigger picture is there has been a lot spent on infra-structure which SHOULD help with foreign investment. There are going to be some white elephant stadiums, PE missed out on a Super 15 franchise so I don't think that one will see much action and a couple of others seem to be new for the sake of new, even if they are spectacular, Durban & Cape Town both had adequate if slightly ageing stadia.

Best ever World Cup off the field worst in my life time on the field (I can only remember 02 , 06 , this years WC) I think we have come to the end of a decade of magic football and defensive football eg. mourniho parking the bus will take over for the next decade......I hope not.

Well Holland and Germany were essentially both counter attacking teams in the Mourinho mould who both came up slightly short, Spain (described somewhere as the Coldplay of football) can be beautiful to watch but I like my footie with an edge, which they are sadly lacking. I fear that fear of losing is gripping football and we will see much more Mourinho/Benitez counter attacking teams both in Club and especially in international football.

Personally I've loved the world cup, of course it helps when you are living 30kms from one of the stadiums!

[thischarmingman]

Does anyone actually pay attention to the stories that circulate in the weeks before a WC? You could tick them off as they appear one by one....stadiums not ready, ball too light, ticketing fiascos...always the same.

Anyway, didn't want to start a new thread for this and it's kind of related:

Sepp Blatter's slick patter sticks in South Africa's craw

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...th-africa-fifa

Even though Blatter's ghastliness is hardly surprising, do just picture that moral pygmy guilt-tripping arguably the standout political figure of the late 20th century into attending a football match. There can be few more eloquent testaments to the arse-about-titness of life under Fifa...

Perhaps the most valuable of the myriad benefits afforded to Fifa is the fact that in the wake of a World Cup, the debate unfailingly centres on where the host nation goes from here. And yet in light of the above and a host of other profoundly craw-sticking incidents, wouldn't it be nice if the focus switched instead to Fifa itself? How did football's governing body handle itself? Did it earn the estimated £2.5bn in tax-free profit it lifted out of the event?

Read about this on the day of the final, as well as continual stories about the courts set up in SA that cost astroinomical amounts of money to investigate very few, and pretty trivial crimes.

[endabob1]

The courts were set up at FIFA's bequest but I think were in response to the blanket coverage of the potential crime problem. The LOC & especially the ANC pandered to FIFA's requests in a way that I don't believe was in the best interests of the host country. They had already employed extra police (thousands of extra police) which was the correct route because these are now trained police men and women are here for the future, the courts were a quick fix which cost a lot and actually had very little to do because the policing was done in prevention.

I will also say that Marina Hyde is a journalist I have very little time for, she was part of the pre-world cup bashing brigade, who had an article which started "I've never been to South Africa but...." When criticised in the comments the article opening was changed. I understand she was here for the World Cup but I take most of her comments with a pinch of salt, she strikes me as someone who likes to try a bit of controversy to get get a reaction.

[seand]

The Guardian, wonderful as it, likes to have a token bird involved. Hyde tries to cause a few ripples like the big boys she's playing with.

[thischarmingman]

The Guardian, wonderful as it, likes to have a token bird involved. Hyde tries to cause a few ripples like the big boys she's playing with.

"Man talk..."









(I don't necessarily disagree)