Johannesburg, May 17 (DPA) The thunderous sound of thousands of fanfaring plastic trumpets could spur South Africa’s unfancied football team to success in the World Cup, according to Thailand’s coach Bryan Robson.
South Africa, who are ranked 90th worldwide, defeated 105th-ranked Thailand 4-0 Sunday in one of their last friendlies before the World Cup.
The game was the first to be played at the new Mbombela Stadium in the north-eastern city of Nelspruit, one of the nine host cities.
After the game former England and Manchester United captain Robson appeared bewildered by the din generated by around 30,000 local fans.
Many had come armed with their trademark plastic trumpets.
“The noise out there was deafening and created a fantastic atmosphere, but it was so loud I could not communicate with my players on the field,” he was quoted by South Africa’s SAPA news agency Monday as saying.
“I reckon these things, combined with this fantastic support I saw for South Africa today, could be a huge advantage. It could make a difference in the World Cup,” Robson added.
Mexico are preparing for around three times those noise levels when they take on South Africa in the opening game June 11 in Johannesburg’s Soccer City stadium. All 90,000 seats are sold out.
During last year’s Confederations Cup in South Africa, some foreign players and broadcasters had complained about the racket caused by the vuvuzelas.
Some journalists had even called for them to be banned. FIFA president Joseph Blatter rejected the criticism, saying they were part of South African football culture.
In the run-up to the World Cup, vuvuzelas in the colours of South Africa and other national teams are doing a brisk trade in shops and on street corners.
A local company is also making vuvuzela-shaped earplugs for the games.
rounak