Black Stars trainer Milovan Rajevac is on the warpath and has ignored some suggestions that he is not focused on his job. As the only African side to have won a match in South Africa,the coach believes his team can go all the way at SA 2010 but has stressed patience and a ''one game at a time'' policy. Known for pulling surprise line-ups, Rajevac has sensationally declared here at the World Cup Finals that he is 100% committed to Ghana and his responsibilities as national team coach.
Speaking to SA 2010 Fans Diaries, the former Red Star Belgrade player was unapologetic about his homeland sentiments when he stated ''As far as i am concerned i am a Ghanaian when it comes to the Black Stars. We are family and my focus now is to get the team to the next round of this tournament'.'
On Sunday night, victory parties that had been planned in Serbia's capital city, Belgrade had to be cancelled following their 1-0 loss to Ghana. So confident and so assured of victory were the 10 million plus Serbian population that defeat was not a consideration. What makes the pill so hard to swallow for Serbians is the manner of it's near perfect execution by a fellow citizen. One can only imagine the silence that must have enveloped Belgrade, one of the most populous cities in South Eastern Europe.
Perhaps we should not be totally surprised by such a declaration from a man who hails from a country that is militarily neutral. Even for a character who has overcome many demons to get to where he is today, his pronouncements will take many by surprise especially fanatical football fans back in his native Serbia who now see him as a traitor for master minding their downfall.
Perhaps Ghanaians have forgotten or simply do not even realize the enormous pressure their national coach has come under ever since the Black Stars were drawn in the same group as Serbia. In April, Rajevac accused the Serbian government of intimidation after they pulled down a building annexe built on his £1.5million mansion in the tourist town of Zlatibor. The timing of the incident by Serbian officials could not have been worse, with many believing that it was a message to remind the Black Stars trainer to ''remember'' where he is coming from.
The incident attracted huge media coverage in Serbia with city officials wasting no time in releasing a statement citing a lack of planning permission for their action. Fast forward to Sunday June 13, 2010 and perhaps his actions can be understood.
Fondly referred to as coach Milo in Ghana, the 56 year old's declaration that ''I am Ghanaian'' would surely shame and silence his detractors who have incredibly suggested that he may not be totally loyal to the Black Stars cause. This view was enhanced after Ghana beat Serbia and what appeared to be a very restrained and cool behaviour by the Serb who refused to openly celebrate with his Ghanaian technical bench including his assistant Akwasi Appiah.
However, it appears the more his critics bark, the more he seems to roar. As i expected, my good friend and FA spokesperson Randy Abbey dismissed suggestions that coach Milo was unhappy with the Black Stars win over his native country.
Indeed many sympathisers of Milo have asked, how was he supposed to react? Jump up and down and carry the flag of Ghana to do a lap of honour? Surely not.
Rajevac is acutely aware that his good friend and fellow coach Radomir Antic could be out of job when group D is finally sorted. The defeat to Ghana could be the end of the road for Serbia especially after a minor coup by players just days to the encounter. The Serbs switched from their practice pitch at the AW Muller Stadium in western Johannesburg to the University of Johannesburg's rugby stadium. Then, in a controversial move, they employed the services of a mysterious and controversial doctor, Marijana Kovacevic, to protect them.
The leading daily newspaper in Serbia, Vecernje Novosti, reported that the players had decided to pay out of their own pockets to engage Kovacevic's alternative healing services, which reportedly include a special gel made from horse placentas and six hour massages, as their Federation was not convinced. Call it Serbian ''muti'' or ''juju'' and it would not be far fetched. Whatever it was, it did not protect them from a red card and defeat against Ghana. "Our players wanted her as a part of the team, but Serbia's Football federation has rejected the call," the daily quoted a source close to the national squad.
Check out the video of the interview with Coach Rajevac
DID YOU KNOW?
Black Stars goalkeeper Richard Kingston played in Turkey for nine years... where he was known as Faruk Gursoy.
Credit: Yaw Ampofo Ankrah
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