Sport Industry Group

02 Aug 2010

Mike Makaab, a director at sports agency ProSport International, explains what needs to happen next to South African soccer in the aftermath of the World Cup.

The World Cup 2010 is behind us, and all South Africans can be very proud of the achievement of our country in the hosting of an extremely successful event, both on and off the field. Live attendance at the Stadia exceeded all expectations, and football’s greatest show was a spectacle that lived up to its top billing.

There is no doubt in my mind that we have left an enormously favourable impression on both people who visited our shores and those who watched the action on television, including South Africans from all walks of life.
 
What we now need to do is leverage off the positive exposure which the World Cup has given this country and encourage both local and overseas organisations to invest in both the sport of football and our country as a whole. We are sure to have received a massive boost to our tourism industry, as foreigners flock back to various parts of South Africa to explore the diverse and numerous destinations that we have to offer.

We must follow up on marketing the opportunities that exist in our country through the World Cup success, and the manner in which we do this, will have a direct influence on the response and investment that we generate from this exercise.
 
Football administrators and managements need to utilise the windfall that the South African Football Association will receive from FIFA, for meaningful development of our football at grass roots level. The legacy, in football terms, that needs to be left behind, is one of development at all the levels of the amateur game, from primary schools to high schools, and junior to senior amateur clubs.

In recent years, we have fallen behind our North and West African neighbours, in terms of the quality of footballer we are producing in our country.  This is a totally unacceptable scenario, given the fact that our infrastructure is first class, our professional league is one of the top ten richest in world football, and we have talent in abundance.

We need to harness what we have and set up significant development and procedures and policies in order to produce world-class players that can compete in the top Leagues in Europe and then transfer their qualities to our various national teams, from the under-17’s to Bafana Bafana.
 
This is an opportunity that all South Africans must embrace.  Let us keep those flags flying and the spirit that existed in the World Cup firmly entrenched in the deepest part of our souls.