Jordaan ready for SAFA role

Cape Town - Former 2010 Soccer World Cup chief executive Danny Jordaan has officially made his intentions clear to run for the SA Football Association (SAFA) presidency, but conceded that the outcome is not a foregone conclusion.

Jordaan will go head to head with SA Schools Football Association (SASFA) president Mandla Mazibuko for the sought-after job. This after Premier Soccer League chairperson Irvin Khoza withdrew his candidature last week citing constitutional challenges. The current SAFA president, Kirsten Nematandani, did not enter the race as he failed to secure a nomination to run.

Of the 52 SAFA regions, Jordaan is believed to have secured a backing from 32 while the rest are behind Mazibuko.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Jordaan outlined the success achieved by SA football since readmission in 1991. He added that he had been part of those milestones, which included negotiating for SA’s readmission to international football, the hosting of the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations as well as the two World Cup bids for 2006 and 2010.

Jordaan acknowledged the contribution of Khoza in the development of SA football and added that it would be crucial for the new SAFA executive to have better working relations with the PSL.

Jordaan said that if he is voted in as the new executive, he will strive to generate more revenue by maximising brand potential to the full. He used the broadcast sponsorship as an example of how the SAFA properties were undervalued. He said the current R40 million deal was a far cry from the R120 million valuation.

“There is a financial turnaround strategy,” he said.

“It’s essentially the revenues that we must increase from broadcast, stadium match-day revenue, merchandising and licensing. Those are the unsecured funding areas that we want to continue working on. There is also new sponsorship that we want to raise.”

As the new executive he would also focus on empowering women in football. Jordaan’s team has put forward the names of Nomsa Mahlangu (current executive member), Ria Ledwaba and Natasha Tsichlas.

When asked what gave him the confidence that he would secure the majority votes on September 28, as opposed to Mazibuko, Jordaan said his track record speaks volumes. He also expressed confidence in the vision presented to the regions for this campaign.

“We need a systematic development path to introduce our players to the international arena. We will continue to build structured junior competitions as an important first step towards building strong junior national teams,” he said.

Jordaan said it is also important to rebuild SA’s profile on the field in the international arena.

“Former players will have to play an important role in this regard,” he said.

“We need provincial coaches, regional coaches and these former players must play a part.”

For the association to function properly, the national executive would have to be reduced, Jordaan said. This change will not take effect immediately as it is not catered for in the current constitution.

“The SAFA executive is too big, period. We must have a smaller executive. At present the constitution provides for an executive of 36 members. We should have a total of 16 to 18 executive members. This election will deliver an executive of 36 members and there’s nothing we can do as we have to elect according to the constitution. But the next election must be 16 to 18,” said Jordaan.