Egypt rests 2010 hopes on it's people

It's easy to become passionate about Egypt and Egyptian football after spending time with Hisham Azmy.

"Football is the food, the drink and the lifeblood of the Egyptian people. In the poorest areas you will find people in the streets enjoying the pleasures of touching the ball with their feet. Even now, at the age of 56, when a ball passes me I still can't resist touching it, feeling it," says Azmy, who is on the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Football Association and is one of the biggest driving forces behind Egypt's bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Azmy, a former Egyptian team captain who spent nine years as goalkeeper of the legendary Zamalek club, clearly lives for the game and even has an action picture of himself on the cover of his cellphone.

An architect by profession, he's now an architect of Egypt's World Cup bid.

But he's wise enough to know that passion and sentiment alone won't win the right to host the world's biggest sporting event.

"Egypt has been the pioneer of Africa in many things and is at the heart of every African nation, be it economically, socially or culturally. We respect and admire our four other candidates in the bidding process, but in Egypt we have the necessary infrastructure and feel we can do it," said Azmy.

Despite its considerable pedigree and tradition in African football, Egypt is seen as an outsider in the race for the 2010 World Cup, with South Africa and Morocco clear favourites. Still, Azmy puts up an emotive argument.

Asked about the strengths of the Egyptian bid, he doesn't mention stadiums, accommodation, transport networks or telecommunications. He mentions people. "Egyptians are the strength of our bid. The people here can do everything. They receive people kindly, there is a wonderful sense of hospitality and a sense of safety. No-one will touch you, instead they will help you. You can take the tube here at 3am in the morning and you will be safe. And football here is very much a part of people's everyday life," said Azmy.

Indeed, Egypt is a fascinating country, where at 2am in the Cairo city centre on any day resembles Fordsburg's Oriental Plaza at lunchtime on a Saturday.

Such is the throng of people in the streets, malls and restaurants, it's a city that seems to seldom sleep.

However, whereas Azmy rates Egypt first, South Africa second, Morocco third, Tunisia fourth and Libya fifth in terms of infrastructure, that is certainly not the case.

In terms of stadiums, hotels and telecommunications, South Africa is undoubtedly well ahead of its north African rivals at the moment.

While he speaks with the utmost respect for all the bidding countries, he says Libya and Tunisia's odd request to Fifa for a joint bid was an "unofficial withdrawal."

Azmy is also not one to let the facts get in the way of a good story and he even has a wonderful response when asked about the chaotic Cairo traffic.

A taxi ride through the streets of Cairo is not for the faint-hearted.

Lights at night are used by many Egyptian motorists as an occasional flashing warning sign to get fellow road users out of the way, road markings are treated merely as rough guidelines and pedestrians as moving targets. Azmy, though, simply smiles when asked about this.

"How many accidents have you seen?

Amazingly there are few, "that means we are excellent drivers". "Seriously though, the tube functions extremely well and in six months we completed six projects on the tube to ensure a smooth flow from downtown to the airport. Our underground facilities are there and flyovers are there," said Azmy, who has helped co-ordinate 10 World Cups at various age-group and senior levels for Fifa.

Azmy is on a first-name basis with each of the 24 Fifa executive members, whose integrity he doesn't question.

He even defends the infamous actions of Charles Dempsey during the controversial 2006 bidding process.

"None of the Fifa executives will accept any bribes. They are people who are honest, who are footballers at heart and love the game. There's no way Charles Dempsey was bribed. He's a very honest man. I think at his age he just could not stand to make a decision," said Azmy.