South African Bafana ranking impasse continues
9/5/2008 17:27
The South African Bafana Bafana ranking impasse, which has FIFA looking on
anxiously over the role the host nation will make in the forthcoming
Confederation Cup and World Cup competitions, remains becalmed in the latest
world tabulations.
South Africa are in an unaltered 69th position in FIFA's
world rankings and a modest 13th in the African rankings - a far cry from the
all-time high of 17th in the world and number one in Africa reached briefly
after annexing their African Nations Cup in 1996.
FIFA Secretary-General
Jerome Valcke has warned this week during his stay in South Africa of the
importance of the host nation reaching at least the semi-final stage of the
eight-team Confederations Cup and the last 16 of the 32-nation World Cup in
order not to risk a deflating loss of enthusiasm in the tournaments locally, the
South African Press Association reported yesterday.
And Bafana's current
ranking - although a marginal improvement from the 13-year low of 79th in the
world which South Africa occupied 15 months ago - is not designed to ease FIFA's
misgivings.
The untimely resignation of world-respected Brazilian coach
Carlos Alberto Parreira has only added to these misgivings, with a daunting task
now facing incoming Joel Santana as the coaching replacement inthe firing
line.
Ghana meanwhile hold onto their rating as the top African nation while
positioned 14th in the world - two places higher than African rivals
Cameroon.
Argentina continue to shade Brazil at the top of the world
rankings, with World Cup holders Italy in third place, Spain fourth, Germany
fifth and The Czech Republic, France, Greece, Portugal and Holland completing
the top 10 in that order.
England, despite failing to qualify for next
month's European Nations Cup tournament in Switzerland and Austria, somewhat
surprisingly cling to 11th position.
Xinhua
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