Gov’t, GFA in deadlock over Milovan?

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has directed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to reconstitute the management committee of the senior national team, Black Stars, as well as review the work and capacity of the current technical team, led by Coach Milovan Rajevac.

This follows the team’s most abysmal performance, in over 50 years, at the ongoing African Cup of Nations tournament in Cameroun.

The Black Stars were knocked out of the competition at the preliminary stages as they could only boast of just one point after losing their opening game to Morocco, drawing with Gabon and losing to Comoros in their last Group match.

Consequently, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, over the weekend, held an emergency meeting with the GFA during which the ministry expressed the disappointment of government and the people of Ghana in the team’s poor showing, “ending in our group stage elimination at the AFCON 2021.”

According to reports, the GFA at the meeting was hesitant about axing the Serbian, particularly because of the severance fee the country is liable to pay – an estimated minimum of $270,000, which could rise to $370,000 if a sign-on fee is included.

National interest

Meanwhile, the Ministry has assured the general public it will always act in the best interest of the country and with the ultimate goal of improving the performance and competitiveness of our National teams.

A statement signed by the sector Minister, Mustapha Ussif, said “the entire country is extremely disappointed by the abysmal performance and early exit of the Black Stars from the ongoing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports shares in the nation’s sentiment.”

According to the statement, the Ministry was disappointed that after so much was invested in the team, their performance was nothing to write home about.

“With the government providing the team all the needed logistical and financial support including resources for preparation and participation in the qualifier stage to the tournament and eventually a pre-tournament camping in Qatar, the ministry is particularly disappointed in the team’s performance,” it added.

Since Ghana’s maiden appearance at Sudan 1957, this is the first time the Black Stars have crashed out of the group stage without winning a match. They last failed to progress from their AFCON group in 2006.