Won Goal!

Stadium 2010 issue is really child's play Cape Argus November 04, 2006

"What's that over there, dad?"

"That's Athlone soccer stadium, my child, they're building a new stand for it."

"For the World Cup games, dad?"

"Actually, no, my child."

"Why not, dad?"

"Because they're going to play the World Cup at a big new stadium in Green Point, my child?"

"Why, dad?"

"Because, my child, they need a bigger stadium to have the really big games like semi-finals."



"So why are they building a new stand at Athlone, dad?"

"So it can be used for World Cup practice matches and later for club games, my child".

"Why can't they play those matches at the new stadium in Green Point, dad?"

"Well, my child, the new stadium will be too big for club matches and not close enough for supporters to get to and the provincial government committed to developing Athlone before it suddenly decided that it wanted to build Green Point and we want a legacy from the World Cup in different parts of the city and sometimes we might need two decent soccer stadiums and Athlone is the traditional home of soccer and non-racial sport in Cape Town."

"I don't understand what you just said, dad."

"Ummm Â… let's just say it's complicated."

"Why don't they play the World Cup games at Newlands, dad? It's pretty big."

"Not quite big enough for the big games, my child, and it's surrounded by houses which makes it hard to have the type of access spaces which FIFA demands."

"What's FIFA, dad?"

"They're the people who run the World Cup, my child."

"But I thought it was our World Cup, dad?"

"Well it is and it isn't, my child. They're just giving it to us for this one time and they insist on stadiums being big and new."

"Even when we won't need them later, dad?"

"Yes, my child."

"That's dumb, dad."

"No, that's FIFA, my child."

"Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy the buildings round Newlands and flatten them than build a whole new stadium, dad?"

"Maybe, my child, but the World Cup is a soccer event and they want a new soccer stadium for the city."

"Can they play rugby at a soccer stadium, dad?"

"Yes, of course they can, my child."

"So will they play the big rugby matches at the new stadium, dad?"

"No, my child."

"Why not, dad?"

"Because rugby owns Newlands. It's what they call an asset and they want to get all the money from the suites, catering and advertising at their own ground rather than be a tenant at the new stadium."

"So we're going to have three stadiums when we only need one, dad?"

"Yes, my child."

"That's a waste of money, dad."

"You're right, my child."

"What's that over on the other side of the road, dad?"

"That's the N2 Gateway Project, my child."

"Why are those shiny new houses empty, dad, when there are all those people in shacks nearby?"

"Daddy's got a headache, my child, just be quiet and look at the lovely mountain."