Proffesor Khumalo (der Spieler mit der Nr. 10 auf dem Bild links) schreibt gemeinsam mit etwa zehn weiteren Personen das Fussball-Blog http://diskioff.blogspot.com, welches im vergangenen Jahr im Finale zur Wahl des besten Sportblogs Südafrikas stand. Darüber hinaus gibt es auch in unregelmäßigen Abständen ein e-Magazin von Diskioff, welches ebenso auf dem Blog anzufinden ist.
Die Idee zum Interview mit Proffesor Khumalo entstand aus dem Antrieb zu erfahren, wie ein Bürger der Gastgebernation die Stimmung im Land kurz vor WM-Beginn aufnimmt. Leider blieben meine Fragen zu Sicherheitsbedenken und eventuellen Ängsten vor Kriminilität auf Wunsch von Proffessor Khumalo unbeantwortet. Es bleibt zu hoffen, dass sich diese Themen nicht zum traurigen Dauerbrenner entwickeln. Die ersten traurigen Vorboten gibt es ja leider schon.
Hello Proffesor, thanks for taking your time. Please tell us a little bit about your person and what your blog is about?
I’m writer by profession, a soccer loving person who started blogging a couple years ago in almost all the soccer websites in South Africa. In 2008 I and a couple of my friends decided to do a soccer blog were we can express ourselves and Diskioff was formed. Diskioff focuses mostly on South African football… and last year it was nominated in the South African Blog Awards in the sport category.
The upcoming tournament is the first World Cup in Africa? How are your expectations and how is the attitude of your fellow countryman towards the Fifa World Cup in South Africa?
The whole nation is overexcited and happy that the first World Cup is hosted in South Africa. The mood is just wonderful and the nation from Monday to Sunday is painted yellow and green. You see the colours of Bafana Bafana and national flag from cars, buildings, shops, ect.
Related to the World Cup the German press often referred to missing infrastructure in South Africa. Do you see an improvement in infrastructure and architecture that will help the South African population even in the long run?
South Africa has hosted the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and Cricket World Cup in 2003 and no one complained about our infrastructures. For this year’s Soccer World Cup a lot has been done from buses to trains that will transport soccer supporters to stadiums and I have to say it’s a very big improvement.
Sepp Blatter told us that there are enough cheaper World Cup tickets for the average populaton of South Africa. What are the prices and how do they fit to the average income in South Africa?
I think the ticketing pricing was done in a way that it could also be fair to some loyal South African soccer fans who don’t earn a lot of money to buy them. The cheapest World Cup ticket for South Africans was R140 (rund 15 €, Anm. d. Red.) and they all got sold out in all the World Cup games.
Let’s come to sports. What do you expect of the Bafana Bafana in your homeland tournament?
As the host nation I expect Bafana Bafana to fight till the last whistle, display beautiful football and make the nation proud. We as supporters will play our role as well on supporting our boys and hoping to lift the golden cup.
Please portrait your national team. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Bafana Bafana and who are their key players?
We were weak at the back and still are a bit. However, Carlos Alberto Parreira’s camps in Brazil and Germany seems to have worked as in our friendly games we were solid. The team’s strengths is the midfield and if it’s not mobile we will be in trouble. Steven Pienaar, Teko Modise, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Katlego Mphela will be key players who can damage any team when they are on song.
What teams are your odds-on favourites for winning this World Cup?
If Bafana Bafana don’t win it… I think Ivory Coast, Ghana, USA, South Korea or Cameroon will win it. I don’t see any European or South American teams taking this World Cup in Africa.
And what do you think about the German national team? How far can they move?
Germany is one of the favourites and always predicted that they’ll lift the prestigious trophy like Brazil come the end of the event. And with Michael Ballack their talisman out due to injury I can say that they’ll end their World Cup tournament in the quarterfinals.
Which headline would like to read about the tournament in South Africa in the international newspapers following the World Cup?
South Africa hosts a beautiful World Cup. I believe this will be the best ever World Cup and to be remembered for a very long time.
Thanks for your time and good luck to you and your team.
source: http://www.jogisjungs.de/2010/06/10/the-whole-nation-is-painted-yellow-and-green/
