Blatter Scores South Africa World Cup "9 Going on 10"

12/7/2010 FIFA president Sepp Blatter praises South Africa’s organization of the World Cup finals, but raises fresh doubts over his commitment to the use of technology in football.

Speaking at FIFA’s closing press conference in Sandton, Johannesburg, Blatter was fulsome in his praise of the host nation having been cautious in his assessment 12 months ago following the conclusion of the Confederations Cup.

"The 7.5 [rating given last year] disappointed South Africans here,” he acknowledged.

“To get to the masters, you must be at least on 8. So now I will give a 9 going on 10. At university level it would mean a Cum Laude. You would receive something special."

He also paid tribute to 91-year-old Nelson Mandela, who was briefly presented to the Soccer City crowd before last night’s final.

"The dream was of this man," Blatter said. "He brought the World Cup to South Africa."

The FIFA president claimed he did not hear any boos that greeted his own arrival on the Soccer City pitch pre-match.

"I was only aware there were less vuvuzelas," Blatter said. "I have been received like a friend, like an African, in this country. We went on the field of play and it was a great moment."

Blatter was less generous in his assessment of Spain and Holland, who between them shared a record 14 yellow cards and one red in a hard-fought final.

"It was not exactly what we have, or what I have, expected for fair play on the field of play in the final," Blatter said, although he refused to criticize the English referee, Howard Webb.

"It is not up to me to judge the performance of the officials in match control," he added. "I can only say it was a very hard task that the refereeing trio had on the field of play.

"They were not helped in this task, I can tell you that."

Blatter, however, seemed to backtrack on a commitment he made last month to re-evaluate the use of goal-line technology.

Following Frank Lampard’s phantom “goal” in England’s second round match against Germany, Blatter said it would be a “nonsense” not to discuss the matter at the next business meeting of the International Football Board (IFAB) in July.

But today Blatter reiterated his long-held stance on retaining the "human aspect of our game".

"This is football. We take note of all the comments made and then in the debriefing, we will take into consideration what has been said," he said.

Asked whether Mark van Bommel or Nigel de Jong should have remained on the field after receiving lenient treatment from Webb, Blatter replied: "We have to live with the errors of players, the errors of referees, the error of whoever commits an error. I don't think perfection exists in this world."

The debriefing takes place at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Aug. 3-4.

The World Cup local organising committee chaired by Danny Jordaan comprises about 350 members but only department heads will attend the debrief. Brazil 2014 World Cup leaders will be present to benefit from the transfer of knowledge.

The LOC now begins the process of winding down its operations, with many officials' contracts coming to an end in late September.

Blatter saddened by Kampala attack
Blatter said that he was “very sad” to learn of the terror attacks in Uganda this morning.

Latest reports from Kampala say that 74 people died in coordinated bomb attacks on a restaurant and rugby club where fans were tuning in to the final.

Asked if the attack would undermine impressions of a successful tournament, Blatter answered: "I am very sad and I was really, really very touched when this morning I heard about this news.

"Can you link it to the World Cup? I don't know. Naturally it was at a moment when the World Cup was on television but has this something to do with football or not? This is not ours to investigate.

"We can only look forward to the good movements football can produce in our world.

"You can never stop in the world crimes, attacks, even when we think that during the World Cup the world should have stopped and the world should only have been touched by the emotions that football has given.”

By INSIDER’s James Corbett

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