The Ghana Football Association has finally settled on Milovan Rajevac as the new Black Stars Coach.
The Serbian returns to the Ghana side, a decade after he left following an excellent world cup campaign in 2010.
His new contract runs for a 12 month period and an extension of the deal shall only be triggered if he’s able to qualify Ghana for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
‘Milo’ as he is affectionately known in Ghanaian football circles takes charge of a Ghanaian side that has been dropping in terms of performance and results and he needs to steady the ship before making sure the sail towards more success is embarked on.
So what can Ghanaians expect from the new Coach on his second coming.
FMIG has out together this piece to present memories of the past and predict likely happenings that are set to transform the fortunes of the senior national football team.
Overall Camp Discipline
Since Rajevac left, Ghana has had camp issues affect on-pitch performance at tournaments. This trend, aside giving the nation bad publicity has also caused unfortunate exits from major competitions with the nadir being the unceremonious Group Stage exit from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Issues with discipline were mostly nipped in the bud under Milo and those that crept into the team were dealt with even before they became news for the media.
There are countless examples with one particular tale told of how he dealt with Sulley Muntari in camp during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
With issues of discipline continuing to disrupt attempts to build a solid team once again, Ghana can count on Milovan Rajevac to calm the storm even before it begins.
Well-drilled tactically sound team
Save his lack of silverware as a gaffer, Milovan Rajevac was tactically apt as Coach during his first stint with the Black Stars.
Admittedly, Ghanaians were not in tune with the brand of football the national team played–with the famous reference of ‘Milo’s One Goal Project’— during his tenure. However, few would argue that, the lack of an aesthetically admired style of play was not well compensated for by the results produced.
The success of the national team during Milo’s first stint was as a result of the Coach’s tactical nous and technical brilliance. He sold to Ghana a variant of football alien to the traditional ‘Agoro’ style. Eventually, critics became admirers as Ghana recorded streaks of important results.
The zenith of Milo’s time in charge of the Black Stars was when the senior national football team rode Africa’s hopes to the quarter finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
But for an ill-fated penalty miss by Asamoah Gyan, Ghana would have made history in that enthralling quarter final clash with Uruguay. That World Cup, Ghana’s best till date continues to serve bitter-sweet memories for the Ghanaian football fan and he would expect more of the past in the Coach’s second stint.
His assistants, Maxwell Konadu and Otoo Addo will also bring their experience and knowledge to the table and help push the Black Stars to expected heights.
Improved Results
Improved results means progress for any team whether national or club.
During Milo’s time in charge he won 12 and lost same number in 28 games in charge.
The emphasis however is about Ghana delivering in big games and winning against all odds. The serbian’s return means results are set to improve.
Moreover there is the new coach effect which sets in following a change of coach in a team. this effect should also help the new Black Stars Coach get results from the onset of his second stint.
Giving Young Players Opportunities
During Milovan Rajevac’s first stint he used a total of 72 players with a chunk of them being young players from the all-conquering Ghana U-20 team in 2009.
The likes of Daniel Agyei, Jonathan Mensah, Samuel Inkum, Andre Ayew, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Opoku Agyemang, Daniel Yeboah, Dominic Adiyiah, Bright Addae, Jordan Ayew, and Ransford Osei all got the chance to play for the national teams at various stages.
There have been calls from Ghanaians to refresh the squad list of the Black Stars as the current crop of players have either had their progress stagnating or time has flown past them.
Milo already has the track record of successfully re-building a Black Stars team, in time for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 2010, which Ghana made the finals only to lose painfully to Egypt.
Subsequently, the Serbian gaffer built on this to craftily select the World Cup squad that nearly made history in South Africa months later.
Interestingly, Ghana is at a similar stage currently and expectations from Ghanaian football fans will be for an encore of the past.
There is an exciting batch of young Ghanaian footballers growing up and there needs to be a technical setup that can give confidence to these players and gradually usher them into the senior national football team.
Milovan Rajevac did this successfully in his first spell and replicating it despite not being a cinch should not be too difficult as well.
FMIG wishes the new Coach well in this quest and pray for success for Ghana’s Black Stars.
