merse
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Post by merse on Jun 25, 2010 18:08:03 GMT
 What a joy the first two weeks of the World Cup have been..................I think the pure excitement and exuberance of the South African people has really lifted the competition beyond all expectations and firmly put to the sword all the stupid negativity and prejudice that was posted on here by certain posters regarding the staging of the tournament in Africa for the first time. I'm sure all those attending are having a whale of a time and putting at the fore front of their minds the fact that it is in that continent for the first time and that there are certain allowances we have to make for that. Not that it has in anyway affected OUR enjoyment over here in any way whatsoever. I never understood just where the "Anti South African" issue came from in the first place....................the country has been staging top class international sport for years and the stadiums have just taken my breath away.
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Post by chrish on Jun 25, 2010 21:31:28 GMT
What a joy the first two weeks of the World Cup have been..................I think the pure excitement and exuberance of the South African people has really lifted the competition beyond all expectations and firmly put to the sword all the stupid negativity and prejudice that was posted on here by certain posters regarding the staging of the tournament in Africa for the first time. I'm sure all those attending are having a whale of a time and putting at the fore front of their minds the fact that it is in that continent for the first time and that there are certain allowances we have to make for that. Not that it has in anyway affected OUR enjoyment over here in any way whatsoever. I never understood just where the "Anti South African" issue came from in the first place....................the country has been staging top class international sport for years and the stadiums have just taken my breath away. Yes, the stadiums are lovely. Although I've heard that getting to Soccer City in Johannesburg can be a bit arduous to get to (though no more than Aldershot!). Also certain journalists on the BBC have mentionned a few issues here and there about the state of the areas around some of the stadiums saying that if you did have "fans" intent on causing trouble then there would be one hell of a mess. But, then again, both you and I don't live in South Africa. From the outsider view the atmosphere and turnout have fantastic to see. I just hope that more people from townships had been able to watch a few matches where there have been quite a few empty seats, which could've been filled by people who couldn't afford to purchase tickets. I just hope that enough money is made to pay for all the new stadia and all the new infrastructure. Christ knows how they are going to get the money back on the magnificent Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. The Golden Arrows football team will play there but the Natal Sharks will still play at the very nearby King's Park Stadium. |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jun 25, 2010 21:40:09 GMT
As you know Merse apart from the places I visit for my work and my days out with Carol I ever go past the Penn Inn Roundabout and live in my nice safe bubble so know very little about the history of South Africa.
After what was put up for my benefit on one thread I did do some reading on the subject and know and understand a whole lot more now.
I can only really judge by what I see and hear on the TV and so far everything has looked so well organized and so very professional and what is so pleasing is the whole sprite it is being played in.
I have not heard of any problems so far and long may that continue as any mindless acts of violence would put a dampener of what will go down in history as a super world cup event.
I have even got used to those horrible things that make that terrible noise, not that you could hear then over the English fans when they got their singing going.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Jun 25, 2010 22:54:31 GMT
Yes, the stadiums are lovely. Although I've heard that getting to Soccer City in Johannesburg can be a bit arduous to get to (though no more than Aldershot!). . Not since you had to climb Table Mountain to get in that bloody away end! |
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merse
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Post by merse on Jun 25, 2010 22:59:36 GMT
Yes, the stadiums are lovely. Although I've heard that getting to Soccer City in Johannesburg can be a bit arduous to get to.............. My mate Mark Howarth (who posts on here occasionally) is stuck in Rustenburg right now with tickets for the game on Saturday along with hundreds, possibly thousands of England fans who like him pre-purchased anticipating us winning the group. Likewise there are just as many Yanks in Durban who did likewise and they have tickets for Sunday! Not easy to arrange a swap and even if you do there is no transport by road or rail between the two centres which are nigh on three hundred miles apart. Planes are scarce and seats at premium prices so the only real hope is car hire which is going to be a rip off......................one of the negative aspects of holding the World Cup there, but then wasn't it similar when held in Japan/South Korea? Anyone watch those two loons Neil Morrisey and Richard Fox in their recent series "Men Brewing Badly" ? if you did, you'll get some idea of the practicalities, or rather impracticalities; of moving around Africa. Such logistical detail that must rule in England's favour in pitching for the 2018 World Cup. |
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Post by lambethgull on Jun 25, 2010 23:25:08 GMT
Such logistical detail that must rule in England's favour in pitching for the 2018 World Cup. Maybe...but let's not forget that London can't even muster a 'big screen' to watch this year's World Cup...the one in Regents Park was blackballed by the local council. |
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merse
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Post by merse on Jun 26, 2010 0:06:33 GMT
...but let's not forget that London can't even muster a 'big screen' to watch this year's World Cup...the one in Regents Park was blackballed by the local council. Bijou's best friend who lives in Manchester goes to the Big Screen there every afternoon and evening..................she loves the atmosphere of it all! |
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Post by lambethgull on Jun 26, 2010 14:03:25 GMT
...but let's not forget that London can't even muster a 'big screen' to watch this year's World Cup...the one in Regents Park was blackballed by the local council. Bijou's best friend who lives in Manchester goes to the Big Screen there every afternoon and evening..................she loves the atmosphere of it all! The venue in Castlefield is a fine facility, and that city should be praised for providing it - especially given the unpleasant experiences it suffered at similar events at the hands of England fans and Glasgow Rangers fans in 2006 and 2008 respectively. I can appreciate the logistical difficulties with hosting a big screen in London - and the theoretical possibility that hundreds of thousands of people could turn up expecting to watch it - but the absence of such a facility in a 'World City' that is hosting the olympics and hopes to be a key part of the 2018 World Cup bid is a very poor show. |
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merse
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Post by merse on Jun 26, 2010 14:53:57 GMT
The venue in Castlefield is a fine facility, and that city should be praised for providing it
I can appreciate the logistical difficulties with hosting a big screen in London - and the theoretical possibility that hundreds of thousands of people could turn up expecting to watch it - but the absence of such a facility in a 'World City' that is hosting the olympics and hopes to be a key part of the 2018 World Cup bid is a very poor show. Yes, Castlefield is a nice chill out spot and adjacent to where the old Hacienda was. What do expect with a buffoon like Bojo as mayor........................all talk and no end product from him as usual, such a failure will not go unnoticed by those who will make the decision as to where the World Cup eventually goes. Add that to the shameful conduct ot the Tories in cutting the Olympic funding and reduction of promised facilities and venues, and our chances of hosting the 2018 World Cup are disappearing as fast as a turd down the toilet. |
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merse
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Post by merse on Jun 26, 2010 16:06:44 GMT
I don't know if people are aware of this, but Boris Johnson is now trying to "lean on " the International Olympic committee into holding the attractive events at weekends only so as not to impinge on the "working week" of Londoners. The bloke's a total idiot thinking they will take any notice of him pandering to the Tory (know the cost of everything, value of nothing) paymasters who are frightened of losing a couple of bob through absenteeism from work. They've only been in power with their stool pigeons the Liberals for five minutes and already have done so much to diminish the country's integrity as a major sporting nation what with cutting back, retraction and plain promise breaking......................disgusting! 
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Rags
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Post by Rags on Jul 3, 2010 14:59:26 GMT
Not easy to arrange a swap and even if you do there is no transport by road or rail between the two centres which are nigh on three hundred miles apart. Planes are scarce and seats at premium prices so the only real hope is car hire which is going to be a rip off......................one of the negative aspects of holding the World Cup there, but then wasn't it similar when held in Japan/South Korea? Not at all. Korea's rail system is cheap and efficient - I got around the country very easily in 2002. Their internal air system is also very good. I've never been to Japan but I understand their rail system is even better. |
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merse
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Post by merse on Jul 3, 2010 16:17:58 GMT
but then wasn't it similar when held in Japan/South Korea? Thanks for that information, as you will see; I was asking a question ~ not making an informed statement. I imagined that suddenly having to put yourself in Japan from Korea or vice versa would have been quite an expensive and logistical challenge, |
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Post by loyalgull on Jul 3, 2010 17:28:16 GMT
Not at all. Korea's rail system is cheap and efficient - I got around the country very easily in 2002. Their internal air system is also very good. I've never been to Japan but I understand their rail system is even better. Thanks for that information, as you will see; I was asking a question ~ not making an informed statement. I imagined that suddenly having to put yourself in Japan from Korea or vice versa would have been quite an expensive and logistical challenge, the selling off of our railways was a backward step in my opinion,i love travelling by train,but unless you book months in advance it is very expensive and confusing knowing which is the cheapest option,absolute lunacy,we all want cheap fares with no complications,sadly we have neither.How the hell can they quote you 46 quid for a seat then three months later want 192 quid? the biggest rip off railways in europe and further i reckon.Despite the price of fuel it still doesnt always give value for money by train |
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