News
2010 more than just a game – Govt
21 August - The 2010 Fifa World Cup to be hosted in South Africa should be used as a vehicle to send new images to the world about the people of South Africa and the African continent alike, media delegates in Beijing have heard.
World Cup to boost SA tourism
21 August - South African tourism and leisure sectors are set to benefit from the country’s hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™, Deputy Minister of Finance Jabulani Moleketi said on Thursday.
SA police promise safe World Cup
19 August - South African National Deputy Police Commissioner Andre Pruis says the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup™ and the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ to be held in South Africa will be safe.
Media to scrutinise 2010 preparations
15 August - A contingent of international and local media representatives has been invited to put preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ under the microscope in Beijing, the Department of Sport and Recreation said in a statement on Friday.
2010 lessons from Olympic volunteers
15 August - Potential volunteers for the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup™ and 2010 Fifa World Cup™ to be hosted in South Africa will have to be on top of their game to ensure that crucial areas of operations are well-manned during the events.
SA must unite to make 2010 a success - govt
13 August - With less than 666 days left before the biggest soccer event on the African continent kicks off, government has called on South Africans to come together and share the vision of making it a memorable success.
Fifa: Nothing can go wrong in 2010
12 August - Fifa boss Sepp Blatter has once again reiterated his confidence in South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ saying the event will change the face of the tournament.
Beijing comes alive with Olympic spirit
12 August - Giant outdoor screens brandishing the Olympic circles, sports memorabilia, Chinese flags, strict traffic flow protocol, heavy police presence, branded commodities, scores of tourists, giant official mascots, late night food markets, and game.
LOC gets ball rolling at Host Cities
06 August - The 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa™ Organizing Committee has announced the appointment of eight Organising Committee Venue Managers in a move aimed at dispersing its operations to host city level.
2010 boss for Soccerex
05 August - Soccerex have announced that Danny Jordaan, CEO of the 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa™ Organizing Committee will be participating at the 2008 Soccerex Conference programme.
Volunteer applications hit 20 000
04 August - More than 20 000 South Africans have applied to volunteer during the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup™ tournament, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Volunteer Programme said on Friday.
2010 security exercises in Bloemfontein
04 August - South African law enforcement agencies will hold joint security exercises in Bloemfontein in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™, South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement on Sunday.
19 May 2008
Bafana coach arrives
Johannesburg – Bafana Bafana's new coach Joel Santana jetted into a scrum of media photographers when he arrived on Sunday at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport.
It took Santana's South African Police Services escort less than a minute to whisk Santana out of the airport and into his car en route to his hotel.
Santana did not speak to reporters but the South African Football Association's chief executive officer Raymond Hack stated Santana would be introduced to the media at a press conference at Safa House on Monday.
Santana replaces fellow countryman Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira who caused a major shock last month when he resigned due to the ill health of his wife.
Parreira won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 when the world showpiece was staged in the United States of America.
Santana will coach Bafana until the end of the 2010 World Cup finals to be staged in South Africa. He will earn a reported R1.5-million per month.
Parreira was paid R1.8-million per month Santana met with his two assistant coaches Jairo Leal and Pitso Mosimane for the first time on Sunday.
Hack told reporters that the new coach would be meeting his technical team before officially resuming duty on Wednesday.
“Santana will be meeting with his technical team over the next three days to familiarise himself with his new players before announcing his squad to play Nigeria in the central Nigerian city of Abuja on June 1 in the opening Group Four 2010 African Nations Cup qualifier,” he told reporters
Hack said Santana’s first order of business would be focused on selecting the Bafana team to face Nigeria.
“The two assistant coaches will help Santana select the squad for Nigeria which will be announced on Wednesday. Santana will not answer questions on the squad at Monday's briefing as he will not have had time to find his feet. But he is prepared to discuss tactics and other aspects of his career. But on Wednesday he will be up to speed and discuss his new squad,” he said.
Santana has no experience of coaching an international team. He has won the Rio de Janeiro State Championships four times. He faces a tough challenge when he leads the Bafana side against Bafana's old enemies Nigeria.
Hack also said that Santana's work permit was in order and that there would be no repeat of the confusion over getting a work permit for Parreira.
Santana will officially take charge of Bafana on Wednesday.
His wife who Hacks assures is in good health has stayed behind in Brazil.
Santana has a daughter who is a dentist working in Paris, France.
Source: Sapa