Safa must stop horsing around with hosting and fix mess
● Paulo di Canio, the eccentric maverick and fascist former Italian footballer, is a man whose wont is not mincing his words.
He once delivered a line that would qualify as material for stand-up comedy by Shampooniser, SA’s only sports comedian.
Trouble is Di Canio, banned and fined several times for invoking political ideology with his gesture of a fascist salute, was more serious than a heart attack when he made the remark.
His one-liner was a reference to what he perceived as minuscule general knowledge of one of his fellow ex-soccer stars and countryman Francesco Totti.
“If you tell Totti there are tensions in the Middle East, he’ll assume that a fight has broken out on the right side of midfield.”
The gospel according to Di Canio means you wouldn’t want Totti on your pub quiz team, especially after a couple of tots. This made me think that closer to home, there may be a Totti or two among the esteemed members in the executive of the SA Football Association (Safa).
Some bright spark at Safa’s Nasrec House has a dream to see SA host the finals of the Confederation of African Football’s premier interclub competitions, namely the prestigious Champions League and the less illustrious Confederation Cup.
It is noble to dream up these lofty ideas. Hosting is our middle name. It comes to us as natural as breathing.
If there was a World Cup of hosting, SA would have more gold medals than
Brazil, Germany and Italy combined.
Even the community of mosquitoes has sent a delegation to the Union Buildings to ask the government for guarantees to
Criminal conduct permeates the air and makes the gangster league of the Cape Flats look like a league of angels. It is a minefield of maniacs and a paradise of morons masquerading as football lovers
host the global nudist games at the Ons Plek Naturist Reserve and SunEden Family Naturist Resort.
Safa has more pressing matters right under its nose.
Chief among them is the jungle that is the ABC Motsepe League where chaos, with murderous intent, reigns supreme.
When it comes to gangsterism and thuggery, the ABC Motsepe League is in a league of its own.
It is the signature of that league and makes a mockery of civility.
Criminal conduct permeates the air and makes the gangster league of the Cape Flats look like a league of angels.
It is a minefield of maniacs and a paradise of morons masquerading as football lovers.
The latest instalment of the lunacy which was caught on video — and went viral on social media — saw some dunce drive his car onto the pitch with the sole intention of hitting a referee with his car.
General lawlessness is the order of the day.
One wonders whether billionaire league sponsor Patrice Motsepe appreciates his late father’s name being associated with such criminality.
Those with their ear to the ground share stories of wanton lawlessness being the name of the game. All this under the banner of Safa. Yet they want to host.
We’ve seen how empty stadiums are in matches when Bafana are not playing when we host Afcon. The crowds we have seen at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville and Orlando Stadium in
Caf contests are because Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates were involved. As things stand, Sundowns and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo are the only teams outside North Africa left in the last eight of the Caf Champions League.
They are up against six North African teams: Etoile du Sahel, Esperance and JS Kairouan (all of Tunisia), Raja Casablanca of Morocco, Al Ahly and Zamalek (both of Egypt).
Safa must fix the mess right under their noses and stop horsing around with hosting.
Twitter: @bbkunplugged99