Tuesday, 4th July 2006 at 9:17 pm

Thami the Tokoloshe?

Come Friday, the grizzled, unkempt figure of Danny Jordaan - mastering a look last seen on Graham Gooch’s final tour of India (albeit minus the moustache) - will unveil the 2010 World Cup mascot. Traditionally a limp and quickly forgetable addition to the tournament, it’s nonetheless arrived at after much effort and melodramatic pre-launch secrecy. Germany’s mascot is Goleo, supposedly a footballing lion (the Black Forest being famous for its big cats), but in reality the slightly dopey lovechild of Manchester United owner Malcolm Glazer, and a womble. Which doesn’t leave South Africa much to live up to, perhaps, but it would be nice to break with the norm, and produce something half decent. Suggestions have been buzzing round my local pub, with a footballing elephant, Hennie the Hijacker, and Desmond Tutu leading the current poll. Personally I like the thought of a tokoloshe, inherently South African, and capable of aiding our hunt for the trophy in 2010, just so long as Germany, Brazil, Argentina et al don’t put bricks under their beds. Thami the Tokoloshe to launch on Friday? We’ll see.