Everyone in Cape Town has a favourite player. But what about Bafana’s team chemistry? I posed the question to a Cape Town chemist.
Hopefully the World Cup will shine the light on South Africa’s rich football history. Like the story of of Simon “Bull” Lehoko, a star defender of the 1970s and 1980s with Vaal Professionals and Kaizer’s Chiefs. In this video profile by journalist Leoni Marinovich (for the Twenty Ten project), Lehoko talks about the annual “multi-racial matches”–specifically the 1981 edition–arranged between the White XI and African XI as a sign of political “reform.” It was all politically dubious and some of the white players were often openly racist, but the players enjoyed these match ups. And saw in them what could have been. So did some white football fans.
The “Makarapa” was invented by Alfred “Magistrate” Boyoli. Boyoli’s mate was hit by a bottle at a Kaiser Chiefs match some years ago. It was this bit of football hooliganism that inspired Boyoli.
For the record, I remember Liverpool supporters wearing red and white hard hats emblazoned with sticky Liver Birds to away games back in the day, when bottles, sharpened coins, darts, golf balls with nails hammered in ’em, and piping hot steak and kidney pies were regularly hurled at matches throughout England.
Boyoli’s genius has been to elaborate with the addition of cut out players and patterns, with places to fly all your paraphernalia. The Makarapa promises to be one of the great fun features of the world cup.
I will leave it to Lusanda, a co-conspirator in the cyber world of football, to tell the story.
Is this the end of the Jester Hat? We can only hope!
This weekend football authors Simon Kuper and David Goldblatt published the kind of book reviews that warm an author’s heart.
“Nobody understands the background to African soccer better than the Italian-American historian Peter Alegi,” writes Kuper in the Financial Times. “This World Cup is his moment. His African Soccerscapes crams daunting erudition, gleaned over many years of study of African football, into under 200 pages of history.” Click here to read Kuper’s review.
In The Observer, Goldblatt wrote: “Peter Alegi’s African Soccerscapes is simply the best available overview of the history” of the game on the continent. Click here to read Goldblatt’s review.
Given the good news, today seemed like a perfect day to go to Durban, pick up our World Cup tix and spend the afternoon playing beach football.
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Uruguayan Ultras Descend on Cape Town
Albert Lutuli is installed as Honourary President of República Oriental del Uruguay!!!
Mvumbi looks like he’s feeling La Celeste!
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Classic World Cup: France vs Senegal, 2002
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JigE4eC7XeI&w=500&h=307&rel=0
The opening match of the 2002 World Cup in May 2002 in Seoul, South Korea. Defending champions France against World Cup first timers Senegal. France had a uninspiring run to the World Cup (world champions don’t qualify). Senegal has a young team–standouts: Papa Bouba Diop, Kalilou Fadiga, El Hadji Diouf. France threatens first. David Trezeguet hits the bar. Then that goal. Watch for yourself.
* Senegal finished second and France last in their group. In the round of 16 Senegal beat Sweden 2-1, then lose 0-1 to Turkey in the quarterfinals (after extra time). Most of its players moved to the English Premier League (most notably El Hadji Diouf to Liverpool), but the team declined soon after. Oh, and France they’re in the World Cup after Thierry Henry used his hands.
These fine football folks had driven many miles from Cape provinces to get tickets for the World Cup.
They were disappointed Bafana Bafana will not be playing in Cape Town, but check out their Continental Coming Togetherness! The Bafanki Banfanki are feeling it!