South Africa Info Forums

Full Version: Bafana's London date settled at long last
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Bafana's London date settled at long last
November 03, 2006 Edition 1

Nkareng Matshe

Johannesburg: English third division club Brentford yesterday confirmed for the first time that they had been approached to make their stadium available for the Nelson Mandela Challenge between South Africa and Egypt on November 15.

"The game will most probably go ahead (at Griffin Park)," said a club spokesperson. "We have spoken to the organisers (Star Meridian) about hosting the game here and, in all probability, it will go ahead, although we still have to finalise certain things."

It was the first bit of good news for the South African Football Association in the saga, after they had appeared to be making a mess of the match by leaving it entirely up to brokers to stage.

Star Meridian were also delighted that Brentford, with whom they claim to have a working relationship, were now singing from the same songsheet.

"Everything has been resolved, including the financial obligations which were outstanding. We have engaged the stadium management and Safa officials and they are happy," said Meridian chief executive Alex Nortey.

He and his team now have to repair the damage done by negative publicity and uncertainty regarding the game, but he blamed unnamed South Africans for sowing doubt. "Most of the negativity has come from South Africa, not London, not Egypt. Hopefully we can now move away from that and concentrate on organising the game," he stated.

After all the hullabaloo, Star Meridian will now have to find ways of attracting fans to fill the 13 000-seater stadium. By Nortey's own admission, his company could hardly lure spectators to the Ghana-Togo clash which they staged at the same venue on August 16.

"We have been working closely with the local media to create awareness of the Mandela Challenge, and I'm confident of a good turnout. There are only 500 Togolese in England, so there wouldn't have been too many people at the match. But it's different with South Africa and Egypt."

Star Meridian's attempts to lure fans will be boosted by news that Ahmed "Mido" Hossam, arguably the African champions' most celebrated player, will be included in Egypt coach Hassan Shehata's squad.

Mido is based at London club Tottenham Hotspur.