By: Allegro Dinkwanyane

 

    If you haven’t noticed, Bafana Bafana will be representing the host country in this year’s FIFA World Cup and as the home team expectations are high. The national team lead by head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira were recently based in Brazil for a month long training camp to whip “the boys” into shape. By the looks of things it seems as though “Camp Brazil” has been a success. Bafana player and Sundowns defender Matthew Booth took some time off his busy schedule while in Brazil to answer the following Q&A:

                           

Allegro Dinkwanyane: How was the flight to Brazil?

 Matthew Booth: It was long and tedious…not only did we fly to Sao Paulo (9hrs) but then had to wait at the airport and fly a further hour to Rio and then drive by bus to our training facility 2hrs away…all in all more than a 24hr trip.
AD: You guys have played 8 matches, won 6 and drawn 2. This is definitely an improvement for the squad, what is the secret?

MB: To be honest we’ve only been tested once and have focussed on getting our winning mentality back, and scoring lots of goals and not conceding is a massive boost for the team which is quietly confident at the moment.

 

AD: How has the team settled in Brazil?

MB: Pretty well…for the younger players, I think a month away could be tough for them but they are all coping well and enjoying the football…just the amount of travelling back and forth has been a bit unsettling.

 

AD: What are some of the noticeable changes to the team?

MB: The fact that we are scoring goals.

 

AD: Any highlights so far of “camp Brazil”?                                                                              

MB: Definitely playing against Cruzeiro in a friendly game in front of 20 000 people, going to watch a ‘classico’ Flamengo versus Vasco at the famous Maracana stadium and getting a day off to see the sites of Rio.

 

AD: How is the weather, the food and the general reception?

MB: The food has been decent, the weather very hot and humid and the reception has been fantastic as the Brazilians seem very proud of the fact that the World Cup hosts have chosen to prepare in Brazil.

AD: Are you allowed to keep in touch with family and friends back home, and how often does this happen if it does?

MB: Yes…we communicate all the time via cell phone and internet…
AD: What are some of the things you miss about home?

MB: My wife and her cooking and my two boys of course! 
AD: While you guys are away the Telkom Knockout Challenge is underway. How do you think your absence will affect the team? (At the moment Sundowns are scheduled to face Chiefs in the quarter-finals).

MB: Not adversely as we at Sundowns have got quality and depth without us and we have a lot of players who were itching to play.
AD: How many times a day do you guys train and is the training intense?

MB: When we first got here it was intense and twice a day but now we are playing many friendly games and so the training is less strenuous.

AD: Any last words of encouragement to your fans back home?

MB: The fans have been fantastic to us and we can only hope that they continue to buy WC tickets and keep supporting us in the same manner.

With just under 70 days left before the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off on home soil, let’s go all out and support our boys. Bafana-Bafana, Mzansi is behind you all the way…Jabulani, siya VUVUZELA!