South Africa scores with successful Confed Cup (News Feature)

By Clare Byrne Jun 29, 2009, 12:08 GMT

Johannesburg - World football boss Joseph Blatter on Monday gave South Africa a good report for its organization of the Confederations Cup, a crucial test of the country's preparedness for the World Cup next year.

Delivering his verdict on the eight-nation event a day after the tournament ended in victory for defending champions Brazil, FIFA president Blatter said: 'I am happy' and gave the hosts a 7.5 out of 10 score.

'We know on logistics we will have to work on it,' he said, but said Blatter, 'we are on the positive side.

'It was right to come here,' he said, in remarks aimed at commentators, mainly in Europe, who have persistently questioned South Africa's ability to host the first World Cup on the African continent.

FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke concurred. 'There is not a single issue where we have the feeling 11 months will not be enough to solve them,' he said.

Blatter singled out the hospitality of South Africans, which he described as 'really remarkable' and the enthusiastic support of South Africans for the tournament for particular praise.

Transport and accommodation, and not security as many had expected, were the two areas most requiring attention before some 450,000 football fans descend on the country for the June 11-July 11 World Cup, Blatter said.

Getting fans to and from the games in the absence of a comprehensive reliable public transport network and finding enough beds was 'a challenge, a big challenge,' he said.

Long delays in stadium park-and-ride systems at the Confed Cup, which was held in four of nine World Cup host cities, rammed home the urgency of getting stalled new rapid-bus systems back on track. In some cases the delays caused fans to miss half the game.

FIFA is also struggling to overcome a shortfall of around 18,000 approved hotel beds for the tournament.

South Africa's cold winter made camping unfeasible, he joked.

Blatter also spoke out again in defense of the vuvuzela, the noisy plastic trumpet blown by South African fans at games, which some European players and media want banned or curtailed.

'The vuvuzela is part of the culture here but let them (South Africans) enjoy the game,' he said.

South Africa was in self-congratulatory mode after the tournament passed off without major upset, bar on the pitch where top teams, like Spain, were humbled by underdogs, like the United States.

'Take a bow, SA. Detractors of Mzansi (South Africa) said we'll mess it up. How wrong,' the mass-circulation Sowetan newspaper crowed.

Many were grateful towards Blatter, who has staked his reputation on bringing the Cup to Africa. 'Thank you, Sepp Blatter,' a placard waved by a fan at Sunday's Brazil-US final read.

Jordaan reiterated his pleasure at the strong show of support of South Africans across the country's racial divide.

Although football is primarily the sport of the black majority, large numbers of whites pitched up at Confed Cup games, in what he called the 'most mixed, most diverse' spectacle ever seen at a sporting event in the country.

The international media was also broadly positive. 'South Africa is up to the task,' Spanish daily El Pais concluded.

Adding to the enthusiasm was national side Bafana Bafana's much improved form. The team spared their Brazilian coach Carlos Santana his usual blushes by giving Brazil a nail-biting run for its final place and putting up a strong fight for third place, which Spain won 3-2 Sunday in extra time.