Temperatures and Bafana fall

June 16

Here’s a recent story from the South Africa Sunday Times about the French team’s approach to food and their upcoming match against South Africa:

"Home-made muesli bars, imported pasta and rice, and 90 baguettes a day - that's what South Africa will be up against when they meet the expertly nourished French soccer team in a crunch group match in Bloemfontein in 10 days.

Adding spice to their menu is a South African chef, chosen to help prepare meals at their World Cup base outside Knysna.

Geoffrey Murray, head chef of the Pezula Estate, this week dished details about the secretive French squad who, so far, have been kept in seclusion.

My biggest concern was bread. Normally we do about 10 baguettes a day, but with them we are doing about 80 to 90 a day," said Murray. "Our poor baker was going crazy. She is continuously rolling."

Although he received specific menu requirements one month prior to the team's arrival, he said he had been able to introduce his own touch, based on fresh supplies.

Some of the menu and dietary details include:

• Coaching staff and players are served exactly the same menu to avoid jealousy, but non-players are allowed wine with meals. Players are on a strict no-alcohol diet;


• Players must stick to a precise eating schedule to control "time between digestion and training";


• Although Murray supplies most ingredients, the French insisted on a specific size and shape of pasta, which they brought with them; and


• The Frenchmen have taken to our lamb and fish, and requested a South African-themed dinner."

A late training for the Australians today, big news is about Tim Cahill, being given a red card in the game against Germany, will FIFA ban him for 1 or 2 games as punishment? The World finds out tomorrow. Robert, the AFP writer covering Australia, gave me his technical analysis of the disastrous game on Sunday (4 to nil, Germany): I really have no idea what Robert was talking about, though it seemed to make sense. Something about Tim Cahill, our men too short, Germans too large.

Lots of camaraderie among the still photographers, there’s about 7 of us regulars. We stay separate from the ‘journos’ (writers, journalists), probably because we’re an odd bunch.

A cold front has blown through South Africa from the south, bringing freezing Antarctic air here. It was -5 C this morning, about 24 F. it warmed to the high 40’s F. I went to the Clearwaters Shopping Centre to buy long underwear at a Woolworths and found a nice fleece scarf, too.

Went to the Silverstar Casino where they had a fan park, actually one level of a parking garage turned into picnic/giant TV screen viewing area. South Africa was playing Uruguay and there must have been a thousand people there. Almost all decked out in some version of the SA yellow jersey or wearing a SA flag. And sounding like all were blowing the vuvuzela horns.

The night started out on a festive note, everyone standing and singing the national anthem and cheering the players as they came onto the field. Uruguay was quite strong and scored a goal in the first half, quieting the stadium and the casino. Though I think people were still hopeful at the half.

But towards the end, the South African goalkeeper committed a foul and was given a red card and tossed out of the game, to the shock of the fans at the casino. This also resulted in a penalty kick for Uruguay, which basically means a goal for the kicking team. Down 2-0, the crowd was despondent, not believing the bad luck of the team. A third goal by Uruguay completed the rout and crowds headed for the exits, ready to cheer the enxt match against France.