23 January 2004

Visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder says his country supports South Africa's bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament.

Schroeder was addressing the media, along with President Thabo Mbeki, at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday.

"It will be right and appropriate for South Africa to be the hosts of the world soccer championships in 2010," he said. Schroeder said he believed his country's soccer chiefs would support his proclamation, saying his country's support for South Africa's bid would be "a service that a friend can pay to his friend".

During his visit to the country in November last year, German soccer legend and president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee, Franz Beckenbauer, said he was confident that South Africa would host the tournament in 2010.

"We were neck and neck with South Africa [in 2000]", said the man who led Germany's 2006 campaign. "The Fifa inspectors were very impressed with South Africa's infrastructure, and the lobbying campaign was very intense."

Germany beat South Africa by a solitary vote to win the rights to host the tourney in 2006. South Africa is vying to host the 2010 quadrennial soccer showpiece with Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and Libya.

Reacting to Schroeder's statement, 2010 Bid Committee CEO Danny Jordaan said it was significant that such a pronouncement had come from one of the powerhouses of European and international football.

"It is always desirable that the current host co-operate with the immediate host", Jordaan said, adding that if South Africa won the 2010 bid, Germany 2006 would serve as a base from which the 2010 World Cup would be planned.

"There will be continuity".

Jordaan said South Africa and Germany had enjoyed a cordial relationship since 1990.

Germany was the first European country to sweat it out with Bafana Bafana following South Africa's readmission into international soccer after apartheid. Moreover, the first national director of coaching in SA was German Horst Kriete.

Source: BuaNews

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