A B C D
E F G H
No lack of effort here
JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Don't blame new soccer coach Phillipe Troussier for lack of effort or imagination if South Africa does poorly at its first World Cup.Troussier recently took part in a traditional African cleansing ritual that involved dipping his hands in the blood of a slaughtered goat.
The ceremony was supervised by a sangoma, or traditional healer.
Troussier, a Frenchman, has worked throughout Africa, most recently as coach of Burkina Faso, and is known as the "white witch doctor." He said he knows how to work with the players as their coach and spiritual adviser, and he declined hiring a sports psychologist for the team.
"I am their sports psychologist," Troussier said.
South Africa opens its World Cup campaign against host France in Marseilles on June 12. Other opponents in Pool C of the opening round are Denmark and Saudi Arabia.
NEXT ROUNDS: Round of 16 || Quarter-finals || Semi-finals
GROUP A: Brazil, Morocco, Norway, Scotland
GROUP B: Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy
GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
GROUP D: Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain
GROUP E: Belgium, Holland, Mexico, South Korea
GROUP F: Germany, Iran, United States, Yugoslavia
GROUP G: Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia
GROUP H: Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan