Buffoona Buffoona: Do we even need a coach?

<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2wt02jCejEcTAKXFp-bIpL86pjR4IEoarQKd7mef-FU6r70Af19SyARORkJ6Efs5vXwu2n3YEkrz8J2JppnNbV_2Z9VejJW2QjQMi-cVD4VnrYhTJufayNleD-4BgeqkgVxPut04JAw/s1600-h/ZumaSouthAfricaSoccerTeam.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395350604253940514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2wt02jCejEcTAKXFp-bIpL86pjR4IEoarQKd7mef-FU6r70Af19SyARORkJ6Efs5vXwu2n3YEkrz8J2JppnNbV_2Z9VejJW2QjQMi-cVD4VnrYhTJufayNleD-4BgeqkgVxPut04JAw/s400/ZumaSouthAfricaSoccerTeam.jpg" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Out to lunch<br />David Bullard</span></em><br /><br />Soccer..... I have been paying attention to press reports recently and notice that it's been much in the local news lately because the coach (who struggles by on about R1.5m a month) has been given his marching orders. He was apparently a foreign chappie who couldn't speak any of our 11 official languages which might have made life a bit difficult I guess. Still, one and a half bar a month isn't to be sniffed at.<br /><br />Obviously somebody appointed him to the job and I guess that must have been SAFA and the general assemblage of vacuous blazers that make up that organisation. So it's actually their fault because you've got to be a complete anagram of a Danish king to appoint someone with no previous experience of international coaching and who can't speak any of the languages to a job paying that much. Apparently SAFA were acting on the recommendation of a previous coach who also could hardly speak any intelligible language and had a similar lack of success with the local squad. He pushed off home to be at his sick wife's bedside but not before he had also helped himself to large amounts of our moolah. Shades of SAA about all this don't you think?<br /><br />So now we're looking for a new coach to bring the team that is currently at number 85 in the world (didn't know there were that many countries that played football) up to speed a mere few months before we host the FIFA World Cup. Well, I'm no soccer expert but it ain't going to happen because the problem isn't just the coach, it's the players. Put bluntly, they're not very good at doing the job they are being paid to do. Which means that they are proud South Africans because our peculiar economic system encourages the employment of people who are incapable of doing what they are paid to do on condition that they pass the melanin test. If we had an all white national football squad we might actually win a game but the ANC wouldn't like it. But then again they complained bitterly about the whiteness of our national rugby team until they won the world cup. Then they were all over them like a bad rash because they realised there might be some money in it for them. If we continue to insist on racial demographics in sport and business then we are doomed to mediocrity. Winning nations appoint the best person for the job.<br /><br />The question that puzzles me is why we need a coach at all. It's been demonstrated that an orchestra will continue to play without a conductor and that newspapers still get produced even when the editor spends most of his time in a bar. So why do we need a coach? What does he do anyway for R1.5m? Surely the team members know that the ball is the thing they are supposed to kick, have a rough idea of the rules of the game and know which goal post to aim for. Apart from energetically chewing gum, pacing the borders of the pitch and yelling encouragement in a language that none of the players understand it seems that Mr Santana had a pretty easy job. Dare I suggest Kirsten that I could have done the same for a fraction of the cost and been a damn sight more entertaining.<br /><br />Quite honestly it doesn't matter who is appointed as coach to the national soccer squad because the money is so good that it's of no concern if the team win anything ever again. For one and half million a month I also wouldn't give a toss about the result. On the other hand it is going to be very embarrassing when we make the record books for being the first country ever to host the World Cup to be eliminated in the first round. That's going to really give the nation a sense of pride isn't it?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span><p></p>

Buffoona Buffoona: Do we even need a coach?

Out to lunch David Bullard Soccer..... I have been paying attention to press reports recently and notice that it's been much in the loca...

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Armed security guards, bulletproof vests for Germany's 2010 World Cup players

<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9-F_StYyTN5z4QnqtpPDlZfBEVDWfTouLWPamjMVtqGetzx_jKIdyoCi4Upxl5GCJiUUnY5hGrH5qjeqcIxHOX_7zzIZY65a8yVthuEZSccOc8pb8UVLl363Lxop9bQ0Cp_3e0J-154/s1600-h/soccer-hijack.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395315305717516290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9-F_StYyTN5z4QnqtpPDlZfBEVDWfTouLWPamjMVtqGetzx_jKIdyoCi4Upxl5GCJiUUnY5hGrH5qjeqcIxHOX_7zzIZY65a8yVthuEZSccOc8pb8UVLl363Lxop9bQ0Cp_3e0J-154/s400/soccer-hijack.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 319px" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Germany's 2010 World Cup stars were reportedly warned on Wednesday to expect to wear bulletproof vests if they venture away from the team hotel at next year's tournament in South Africa.<br /></span></strong><br />The head of Leverkusen-based security firm BaySecur, which looks after the German Football Federation (DFB) and their guests when the national team plays away from Germany, says their stars like Michael Ballack must take extra care in South Africa.<br /><br />BaySecur is one of the firms expected to be employed by the DFB while the team is involved in the tournament, which runs from June 11 until July 11 when the final will be held at Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium.<br /><br />"The possibility for the players of moving outside of the hotel boundaries should be kept to a minimum," BaySecur's Guenter Schnelle told German magazine Sport-Bild.<br /><br />"Otherwise there must be a full escort: armed security guards and bulletproof vests for the players."<br /><br />However, the Star on Thursday reported that it had contacted Schnelle on Wednesday, and he claimed the journalist who wrote the article had "invented" the comments.<br /><br />"He denied ever discussing bulletproof vests and bodyguards with the journalists and said he had been dragged over the coals for what emerged in the media," the Star reported.<br /><br />According to Business Day, "Treasurer of the German Football Federation and the CEO of Germany's 2006 Fifa World Cup organising committee Horst R Schmidt said in a statement forwarded by South Africa's local organising committee that the BaySecur spokesperson was not speaking on behalf of the DFB.<br /><br />The DFB is already looking to step up security around the team hotel in Pretoria for the World Cup.<br /><br />Because of high crime rates in the South Africa, the DFB are taking no risks with security, says their security boss Helmut Spahn, and are looking to recruit 20 extra security guards for the team's stay at their five-star accommodation.<br /><br />Private bodyguards will protect the players both within and around the Velmore Grande hotel in Gauteng.<br /><br />"We will probably use more personnel than we would normally have," said Spahn, who will spend four days in South Africa next week looking at security arrangements.<br /><br />"We need to first of all get an idea of what security arrangements are already in place for both the team and the media.<br /><br />"Then we will decide then whether to improve the security measures or whether they are sufficient."<br /><br />According to Spahn, there is little chance the DFB will rely only on local security guards in South Africa and Germany's federal police force is already in discussions with the DFB on the issue. </span><p>

Armed security guards, bulletproof vests for Germany's 2010 World Cup players

Germany's 2010 World Cup stars were reportedly warned on Wednesday to expect to wear bulletproof vests if they venture away from the tea...

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Armed gang hits Joburg bakery

<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mKhMIIKQJAIjSusRkOtPQlJBdu4uZ1Sqr_j1nv9CZOg4xULlxszrQjLIbr3NLWyF-JRWoIGRFsWrcVVsAZ-CnRhoG4ED8UHaTZtQJxmKqe8vRdQRczfItRVhdA36hDwLKACKqCisIJk/s1600-h/Fournos_Bakery_and_coffee_shop_Dunked.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394224186439906210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mKhMIIKQJAIjSusRkOtPQlJBdu4uZ1Sqr_j1nv9CZOg4xULlxszrQjLIbr3NLWyF-JRWoIGRFsWrcVVsAZ-CnRhoG4ED8UHaTZtQJxmKqe8vRdQRczfItRVhdA36hDwLKACKqCisIJk/s400/Fournos_Bakery_and_coffee_shop_Dunked.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 289px" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><strong><span style="color:#990000;">A group of at least 10 armed men held up Fournos Bakery in Dunkeld West, Johannesburg, on Sunday afternoon.</span></strong><br /><br />The robbers arrived at about midday, and took wallets and cellphones from patrons and employees. They also took all the money from the cash registers.<br /><br />This is the third bakery robbery in about seven months, said employee André Human, 22.<br /><br />André van der Westhuizen, 38, from Linden, arrived at the Dunkeld West shopping mall along with his wife, Debra, and their 17-month-old baby boy, Andrew, while the robbery was taking place.<br /><br />"We'd wanted to buy a few things for a picnic. When I opened the door after we'd parked, a man pressed a firearm against my body. I said I want to get my child. He said: "Quickly, quickly."<br /><br />"I took the child and left the keys in the car. We ran to the opposite side of the road," said Van der Westhuizen.<br /><br />The robbers took their Honda Jazz.<br /><br />"They were probably looking for a getaway car. I'm shocked. It feels strange. I'm happy that everyone's safe," he said.<br /><br />A waiter, who wanted to remain anonymous, said a robber had approached him and pointed a gun at him.<br /><br />"He said: 'Son of a bitch. Where's the money?' Obviously I was scared." The robber also took the money from his apron.<br /><br />A security guard, Themba Mkwanazi, said the robbers told other people in the centre to go to the bakery and then lie down on the floor.<br /><br />"I was lying flat. I was scared. They held out plastic bags for people to put their cellphones in. They also asked for wallets. All that took about six minutes, he said.<br /><br />Police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini said no shots were fired, but a client was assaulted. The robbers fled in three cars. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>- Beeld</em></span> <p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><em><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000099;">Related Link:-</span></em> </span><a href="http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/7f7db5d1f8af4aa4a0e10cfde8bf7d9e/18-10-2009-12-50/Robbers_hit_Jhb_supermarket" id="ctl00_ctl00_MainBodyPlaceholder_Column1Placeholder_articlePaged_articleRelatedlinks_repeater_RelatedArticles_ctl01_lnkRelatedHeadlines"><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>Robbers hit Jhb supermarket</em></span></a><em> - <span style="font-family:arial;">Nine armed men armed with pistols and two rifles, held up staff and customers at the Multisave and robbed the supermarket of cash and airtime vouchers</span></em> <p></p>

Armed gang hits Joburg bakery

A group of at least 10 armed men held up Fournos Bakery in Dunkeld West, Johannesburg, on Sunday afternoon. The robbers arrived at about mid...

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