Kaiser impressed by 2010 preparations
10/09/2007 |
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The legendary Franz Beckenbauer visited the construction site of Cape Town's 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ stadium on 7 September and declared himself "very, very impressed" with South Africa's preparations for the event.
Beckenbauer, who is now a FIFA executive member, is in South Africa for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Along with the chairman of the FIFA World Cup Organising Committee, Issa Hayatou, and the Chief Executive Officer of the South Africa 2010 Organising Committee, Danny Jordaan, Der Kaiser visited the site of the picturesque Greenpoint FIFA World Cup stadium, on the slopes of Table Mountain and alongside Cape Town's Table Bay.
"Cape Town is one of the most exciting and beautiful cities in the world," he said. "The place could not be better. And South Africa is a wonderful country. The Greenpoint World Cup Stadium is in a stunning location, underneath Table Mountain and with a view of the famous Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. I am very very impressed with the construction going on in Cape Town.
"It's fantastic what the people in South Africa are doing in preparing themselves for the World Cup in 2010," added Beckenbauer, a FIFA World Cup-winning player in 1974 and a coach in 1990.
For Beckenbauer, whose exploits on and off the FIFA World Cup stage are the stuff of legend, the sight of Cape Town's 2010 FIFA World Cup stadium steadily under construction gave him great satisfaction.
Speaking after the site visit, Beckenbauer said he was extremely confident South Africa would be ready to host the global football showpiece in 2010. "I am definitely convinced that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be a success. It's the biggest opportunity for South Africa," said Beckenbauer. "The whole world will be watching this country in 2010. And as far as I can see they're on time and I have no doubt all the stadiums will be ready before the World Cup."
Germany is still basking in the success of a FIFA World Cup last year in which Beckenbauer played such a major role, but he advised South Africans to put their own stamp to what will be the first FIFA World Cup on the African continent. "The best thing is not to copy the German World Cup," he advised.
"South Africa must ensure it's an African World Cup, with all the continent's culture and flair. I am sure it will be a great success," said Beckenbauer, who was also joined in South Africa by two of his Vice Presidents from the Germany 2006 Organising Committee, Horst Schmidt and Fedor Radmann.
Hayatou, who was last at the Cape Town construction site with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter in June this year, was also extremely impressed with the progress made on the site since his last visit. Jordaan said it was clear to Beckenbauer and Hayatou that much hard work is being done in South Africa to prepare for 2010 and that the country was on track and on schedule to host a successful event.
"Leading up to the Preliminary Draw of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Durban on 25 November this year the message they will take to the rest of their colleagues on the FIFA executive is that a lot of work is being done. The progress made clearly shows we're on track for a wonderful World Cup.
"They (Beckenbauer and Hayatou) are getting very excited about Africa's first World Cup," said Jordaan. "That's very evident when talking to them. The period of doubt from anyone about South Africa's ability to host 2010 is long gone. People are now only interested in dealing with operational issues."
(Source: Fifa.com)
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