35 replies to this topic

[Scout FC]

They certainly managed to shut up the critics and host a wonderful World Cup. No unfinished stadiums, no major crime, no terrorist attacks. In the end a couple guys managed to run onto the pitch and the English squad had some underwear stolen.

Sure, I could have done without the endless droning of the vuvuselas, but hey, it was their party so they get to choose the tunes. Well done, great party.

Edited by 0, 12 July 2010 - 05:00 AM.

[Hotel California]

francophile16, on 12 July 2010 - 03:48 AM, said:

Yep, the only quarrel I have with the organization committee is the ticket distribution. Seeing all those empty seats during the group stages, and even during some of the knockouts really bothered me, as I'd kill to be at any of those matches. Definitely needs to be sorted out before the next World Cup.

FIFA really let us down in that department. They kept on telling us that the matches were sold out but then a week later, there's tickets available again. I think FIFA were a total embarassment tbh. I'm from Cape Town and when I initially applied for tickets, I applied for 8 games online. The maximum that you were allowed to. FIFA only approved 3 games. By the time we got to the last ticket draw, thats when everybody in South Africa went into a frenzy, I literally camped out in front of the ticket office to get tickets for more games. When I finally got to the front, tickets were sold out in Cape Town. Because of this, I decided to buy tickets in Port Elizabeth for the second round and quarters which is about 700km away. About a week later, FIFA release more tickets for Cape Town again and I'm basically stuck with my PE tickets. The France vs Uruguay match there was absolutely no tickets available anywhere because a couple of my friends were desperately searching for tickets but at the game there was open seats everywhere. I just couldn't understand that. FIFA claim to be against ticket touting but when you lie to the public about a game being sold out, you're basically inviting people to buy them illegally. That was the biggest dissappointment for me. I was mostly dissappointed because I applied for that tickets the second it went online. The first ticketing draw I was there sitting on my pc and applying and the 2 games I really wanted (semi and final) I never got. Then you get some people who did no work at all, wasted no time sitting and refreshing webpages, but basically just logged on at the correct time who got tickets for the final. I thought that was extremely unfair.

[Keith.]

sixtoo, on 12 July 2010 - 04:58 AM, said:

The ball was fine, just ask Forlan, the Jabulani Master.

The ball wasn't fine, the flight on the ball was terrible. It wasn't a good ball.

[Hotel California]

A ball is a ball. Players are fucking spoilt far too much these days. If some of these modern players had to use the balls Pele and co. used, you wouldn't here them complain ever again.

[djnolzy]

All in all, I'm happy with the running of this tournament.
The only thing I wasn't sure about when it all kicked off were the vuvuzelas, but looking back on it now, it did help to build the atmosphere at the matches. It is something that made this World Cup unique. For me, whenever I hear a vuvuzela again, I will instantly think of the 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa. I hope that anyone who had doubts about South Africa's ability to host an event like this have had a wake-up call.

[Tomchin]

White Rabbit, on 12 July 2010 - 12:08 AM, said:

The minute after Italy lifted the trophy in 2006, worries began to swirl about South Africa not being ready. Speculation about who was going to host the World Cup after South Africa inevitably revealed itself as unprepared. Then came rumours of massacre -- thousands upon thousands of people were going to be brutally assaulted, mugged, killed, raped in South Africa according to the naysayers. But South Africa came prepared and the world saw a genuine African triumph. Thanks for the good times, and congratulations on a successful tournament, South Africa  

True, initially I also expected a lot of incidents; but luckily I was completely wrong.  Well done South-Africa  

[Keith.]

Rafael Benitez, on 12 July 2010 - 09:04 AM, said:

A ball is a ball. Players are fucking spoilt far too much these days. If some of these modern players had to use the balls Pele and co. used, you wouldn't here them complain ever again.

Yeah well, if i could buy a ferrari, there would be no need for me to buy a skoda..

Players play all year round with quality balls, turn up to the world cup and play with a ball at the standard of a 99p ball from tesco..

[Timo]

I thought the World Cup was ran very professionally and credit should definitely be given to South Africa. This will help South Africa in bids for future world events as it was able to exemplify it's a ability to host and run a massive world event (don't get much bigger than the World Cup!).

[kusut]

Tony Adams, on 12 July 2010 - 01:18 PM, said:

Players play all year round with quality balls, turn up to the world cup and play with a ball at the standard of a 99p ball from tesco..

maybe youre right about the quality of the ball. but teams should accustom themself to jabulani like Germans or Forlan.

then again dont blame it on South Africa

[elkanofan]

Tony Adams, on 12 July 2010 - 01:18 PM, said:

Yeah well, if i could buy a ferrari, there would be no need for me to buy a skoda..

Players play all year round with quality balls, turn up to the world cup and play with a ball at the standard of a 99p ball from tesco..

Disagree, look at it fromt his way, balls seem to get lighter and lighter year after year! By all rights FIFA could just say, screw all you pansies use the same balls we used to back in the 70's! Those 'quality' balls you talk about are argubly too light as it is.

[------------------------]

Thought it was okay, if not underwhelming. similar to Japan/S.K and Germany. Last good WC was 98, imo.

[The Nani Show]

South Africa have done the African continent proud with the handling of the World Cup. I'm sure there were concerns from alot of players, coaches and fans that the crime rate in South Africa would rear it's ugly head but fortunately the incidents were few and far between and the only real thing that people were complaining about was the vuvuzelas. Sure the football could have been better, sure the ball could have been better but as a whole package i think the tournament has been a success. I agree with Dean that the last very good World Cup was in 1998 but it's not like this WC was shocking but it was a shame that some of the stars of world football didn't really show up. The best team won in the end though which was the correct ending.

Roll on Brazil 2014

[Javier Hernandez]

This wasn't the best WC but it's the WC... even with the disappointments (which, for me, were purely football/FIFA-related and not at all host-related), I enjoyed it. There were some great moments and some great games that I won't forget anytime soon. I'm also going to miss the vuvuzelas. Games are going to seem extremely quiet without them now.

Great job to the hosts. Hopefully Brazil handles it as well in 2014.

[Artur Mas i Gavarró]

I'm pleased the World Cup was a success in South Africa.

[rudeboy1987]

given that a year ago everyone was still talking about the incomplete stadiums they have come a long way and given the pressure of staging teh first african WC, thought they did very well!

if the WC ever comes back to africa then this will be the benchmark together with any other new place the WC might be held.

the only unfortunate thing was the empty seats due to fans being priced out which is very unfortunate as its a one in a life time thing for many people.

hopefully fifa will look into that and make sure that WC 2014 stadiums are full for every game involving school childen, OAP's whatever as its gota be better than empty seats being visible.

good job overall i think as far as planning logistics etc.