Quotes about Fifa moving Soccer World Cup 2010
Koos Kombuis |
||
Frank Lowy |
"FIFA has awarded the 2010 tournament to South Africa, and have consistently endorsed South Africa's appointment and state of preparations. FFA has no reason to expect that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will take place anywhere other than South Africa, and we are looking forward to having the opportunity to qualify to participate in South Africa when Asian Qualifying matches start in 2008. We wish South Africa every success in preparing for, hosting and enjoying a lasting positive legacy from staging the world's largest sports event. Australia has a wonderful track record of hosting major events and we believe that there are FIFA and AFC competitions that would be highly successful if held here. We are continuing to look into the feasibility of hosting a future World Cup and potentially the AFC Asian Cup and other international Football events. In the meantime, we hope to see the Qantas Socceroos once again making all Australians proud in South Africa in 2010." FFA chairman Frank Lowy said in a statement released by the Federation. |
|
Nov 2006 |
“The position of the Australian government is that Fifa has awarded the 2010 World Cup to SA and Australia’s only interest is to have its team participate in the Cup", the Australian high commission. |
|
Danny Jordaan |
"We find it totally unfair, especially if it is coming from a government official. They have done it more than once." Jordaan told AFP (regarding Australia suggesting that preparations for the 2010 tournament are in trouble and Australia could fill the breach instead). |
 |
Morris Iemma |
"I'd encourage the FFA (Football Federation of Australia) to wave their credentials before FIFA as an emergency host should South Africa drop the ball. We are ready and willing to stand behind the Football Federation if they choose to pursue it. We already have several magnificent arenas and the ability to upgrade other venues around the country." New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma |
|
Rob Baker |
"The Cup will be held in South Africa. It wont be perfect, but neither was the 'Rumble in the Jungle' and that didn't stop it from being legendary." |
|
Sepp Blatter |
"They will be ready, no problem. If you ask me what the alternatives to play World Cup 2010, if South Africa is not ready, it is still South Africa. Plan B and C is still South Africa" |
|
Danny Jordaan |
"You can‘t get the World Cup by talking nonsense to newspapers. It‘s stupid." |
|
Alex Marino |
"I'm excited to go to South Africa. Because of that, I don't want to think about it being moved to the United States. We just hosted a World Cup 12 years ago! Give someone else a chance. Maybe they need to pump some more money into South Africa to make sure it gets done. Surely, FIFA has some proceeds from the last World Cup to pitch in." Alex Marino in Mission Viejo, California. |
|
Dave Healy |
"If I could place a wager on this, I'd bet the house that the WC doesn't ever happen in South Africa. It might not come to the USA, but it will take place somewhere else. FIFA has staged several first-class events in a row, so why should they risk being embarrassed in 2010?" |
|
Ric Fonseca |
"As much as I would like to see South Africa host the World Cup, and as much as I am saving my travel money, I am of the firm opinion that they will not be ready and unable to conduct a tournament of gigantic proportions...Therefore, should it come to pass that FIFA will need to move it, just like they did with Colombia/Mexico, my choice would obviously be the US." Ric Fonseca in Los Angeles |
|
Tim Atchison |
"It's amazing, I think we heard all these warnings once, and it was a European country that they were talking about. Does anyone remember the Athens Olympics of 2004? Stadiums, infrastructure, etc? were all in jeopardy of not being finished before the games started. And what happened? The Olympics went off with very few problems." Tim Atchison in Boston. |
|
Morris Iemma |
"We have an international reputation for hosting major events like the 2000 Olympics. We have the infrastructure and the capacity to step into the breach at a moment's notice. If it can't come off with South Africa, and there are doubts that it can, then we are by far the best alternative. We staged the best Olympics ever, the Rugby World Cup and we could put a taskforce into action overnight because the quality people who make these things happen are still around...All you can see are still photographs of architects' impressions of the stadia. It hasn't progressed much beyond that, which is obviously a concern. The ball is in FIFA's court but they need look nowhere else than here. There are obviously pressing issues over South Africa's lack of infrastructure and the construction of the venues. We have big stadia in Sydney – Aussie Stadium and Telstra Stadium – which would need only minor upgrades to add further to capacity. And we have stadia in Melbourne – Telstra Dome and the MCG – and there's Suncorp in Brisbane. There are others besides. We also have the infrastructure, the roads and rail, the hotels and the intellectual capacity." NSW Premier Morris Iemma |
|
Franz Beckenbauer |
"I am very sorry that these statements were falsely portrayed and I shall do everything in my power to support the World Cup in South Africa 2010. At no point did I mention that Germany could be a substitute organizer. On the contrary, it is my own and my colleagues' understanding that it is most important that the upcoming World Cup in South Africa is a success." |
|
John O'Neill |
"I really hope it (South Africa) hosts the World Cup. It could do that nation a world of good. But if South Africa finds itself unable to host in 2010, we would put our hand up. People ask me would you be ready … we would have to fill some gaps, but we have got the credentials in terms of hosting." John O'Neill |
|
Justino Compean |
Compean told El Universal newspaper Mexico could also host in 2010 if South Africa can't resolve its infrastructure worries: "The World Cup would undoubtedly be the icing on the cake. We would like to host a tournament during our administration", (which ends in 2010). |
|
Jomo Sono |
"The problem (with us Africans) is that we hate criticism," said Sono. I would not know why he (Beckenbauer) said that, but he should be taken seriously. They should talk to him." Jomo Sono in response to Beckenbauer's statement. |
|
Danny Jordaan |
"We are ahead of schedule, and we will be ready...He is not telling us what the problem is. We will write him a letter so that he can explain what the problem was about" Danny Jordaan in response to Beckenbauer's statement. |
|
Franz Beckenbauer |
"The organisation for the World Cup in South Africa is beset by big problems. But these are not South African problems, these are African problems. People are working against rather than with each other. There are emergency solutions, but Germany is not one of them, there are enough
other solutions." Franz Beckenbauer |
|
John O'Neill |
"I think we've got to be ready to be absolutely opportunistic, there's all sorts of question marks about infrastructure or requirements in South Africa. Australia doesn't have those problems. Where we do have a couple of gaps, in terms of stadia, those gaps could be filled just like that." Football Federation Australia chief executive John O'Neill. |
|
Tumi Makgabo |
"It is simply not the case, it is not true...Fifa (the football governing body) has repeatedly stated that it has every confidence in our ability to host the event...We have the contracts signed for the building of the stadia, work is going ahead and we are certain to make the deadline." Tumi Makgabo |
|
Graham Seatter |
"If the World Cup did come down to Australasia we'd be delighted and we'd do whatever we could to make it successful...But FIFA are really committed to South Africa and that's unlikely to change. They're committed to making it a success in South Africa." New Zealand Soccer chief executive officer Graham Seatter |
|
Michael Cockerill |
"Australia's plans to host the world's biggest sporting event, football's World Cup, could be accelerated, with speculation persisting that South Africa's preparations for the 2010 tournament are hopelessly behind schedule." Michael Cockerill writing for the Sydney Morning Herald |
|
George A. Pieler and Jens F. Laurson |
"With the Cup spotlight on southern Africa, this is a rare chance to shame Mugabe into meeting minimal standards of modern civilised governance in treating his people. Ending “land reform” (confiscation for the benefit of Mugabe cronies), respecting political opposition, regularising elections, and freeing up an independent judiciary are the least the world should expect from Zimbabwe. For that matter, so long as the South African venue remains in question at all, why not pressure President Thabo Mbeki to stop giving economic support and tactical aid and comfort to the Mugabe regime?" George A. Pieler and Jens F. Laurson writing for Business Day |
|
Danny Jordaan |
"Claims that South Africa could lose the host right for the international soccer showpiece were "laughable" and "absolute nonsense," said Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of the South African Local Organizing Committee. |
|
Michael Grant |
"There have been whispers that the game’s governing body is feeling twitchy about South Africa’s readiness for 2010, and even that the USA has let it be known it would happily step in if the first hosts from Africa are forced into a humiliating withdrawal." Michael Grant reporting in the Sunday Herald. |
|
References
16 October 2006 |
|
October 2006 |
|
10 October 2006 |
|
3 October 2006 |
Franz Beckenbauer apologizes for confusion over World Cup comments |
22 September 2006 |
|
22 September 2006 |
|
22 September 2006 |
|
19 September 2006 |
|
1 September 2006 |
|
31 August 2006 |
|
31 August 2006 |
|
31 August 2006 |
We welcome input to help us improve our coverage of Quotes about Fifa moving Soccer World Cup 2010 from South Africa
