When the chief executive officer for the 2010 World Cup organizing committee Danny Jordaan speaks, we tend to listen.
Not only is the man educated and inspired, he's the head of South Africa's efforts to make the first-ever African World Cup a riveting success.
Today, two separate Jordaan tidbits.
First, Jordaan is tired of being asked whether the nation will have everything ready on time.
He also says the 2010 tournament will be the most commercially successful in soccer history.
'We are selling tickets and people still ask 'Will you be ready?''' Jordaan said Tuesday on a visit to the Euro 2008 tournament.
''The teams are playing qualification for the World Cup in South Africa. These national teams, if they just look on their sleeves, they will see 2010 World Cup South Africa. That's what they are playing for. So it is a reality.''
Jordaan helped South Africa become host after it was narrowly beaten by Germany in voting for the 2006 World Cup. He said critics who thought FIFA had arranged a backup host were wrong.
''I think it was misconception in the world that there was a so-called Plan B,'' said Jordaan, chief executive officer of the South African 2010 organizing committee. ''It was just not real. I think it's a lack of understanding. I think it's ignorance, frankly.''
''If there was an issue around the hosting of the World Cup in South Africa, then the commercial partners of FIFA, the big multinational companies who actually pay to be associated with the event, would say, 'We want to pay less for South Africa than for Germany. You might give us a discount,' '' he said.
''Did they insist on a discount? No. Are they paying more? Yes. That is why you find that the German World Cup generated $2.8 billion. The commercial program is not done yet, but South African World Cup is generating $3.2 billion. So which World Cup has produced the highest revenue in the history of FIFA? The 2010 World Cup. It's outperformed every other World Cup.''
MY POV: Please click the link to read more of Jordaan's comments. You have to admire the fire and passion Mr. Jordaan has for the South African Cup. He believes and makes us believe in the process. I think he's right on every point. SA 2010 is going to be a tremendous success ...
But wait, there's more!
Jordaan thinks an African team can reach the 2010 World Cup final. Why not??
"African players like Eto'o, Drogba and Essien are now among the best players in the top leagues in the world," he told a news conference at the Euro 2008 tournament.
"African teams will be able to compete in 2010. By 2010, African teams will have the correct level of support to be major contenders.
"That shows the progress African football has made over the last five years."
Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o, Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and Ghana's Michael Essien have become key figures at top European clubs. Eto'o helped Barcelona win the 2006 Champions League, while Drogba and Essien have enjoyed trophy success in England with Chelsea.
No African team has gone beyond the quarter-finals of any World Cup to date. A last eight place was achieved by Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002.
"We want to see an African team in the final for the first time," Jordaan said, adding there were a number of nations who had shown they could do well in the finals, including Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.
"There is no reason that an African team cannot reach the final on African soil," he said.
"Football in Africa can create a truly wonderful celebration," he said.
MY POV: We're with you there, Danny. Now can you please help me get to SA? PLEASE?
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