Sports
Will the ‘Milo’ be tasty again?
AFTER all the speculation and brouhaha over who is going to succeed CK Akonnor as Black Stars’ chief trainer, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) finally settled on Serbian Milovan Rajevac, on an expectant Friday afternoon.
Many had sat on tenterhooks as to where the next manager would be coming from. Many names had been bandied around.
But the pendulum was always swinging towards Rajevac, once his identity popped up among a heap of marquee names.
The 67-year-old gaffer initialed a two-year deal with Ghana – having been tasked to break the ‘Stygian silence’ as regards Ghana’s disquieting failure to win the Nations Cup since 1982, as well as qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Milovan is enjoying a second bite of the cherry. He was first engaged in 2008, first guiding the Local Black Stars to the finals of the Championship of African Nations (CHAN), before spearheading the Stars to the quarter final berth of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, staged in South Africa. In fact, but for Luis Suarez’s deliberate handball incident in the last second of their quarter-final clash against Uruguay, the Stars would have romped into the semis. That would have been some history! African history!
Qualifying for the Qatar quadrennial football festival would be celebrated wildly by Ghanaians. But halting the Nations Cup title drought should unquestionably see an uncontrolled, hysteric jollification and merrymaking.
Indeed, victory at AFCON would have sealed many twists and turns to a dramatic denouement that have seen scores of coaches struggle to break the now 39-year-old debacle.
Milovan’s first hurdle, however, is to put back on track the nation’s World Cup qualification ambitions as he tries to assemble a compellingly winsome team against Zimbabwe (Saturday, October 9) in next month’s double header at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium and in Harare (Monday, October 11).
Somehow, the Serbian managed to waltz his way into the hearts of Ghanaians during his first romance (2008-2010) – but that tenderness would come with a lot of anticipation – which must be supported by the FA.
It was revealed that the immediate past Stars’ coach Akonnor did not elicit the requisite backing from the FA, especially with regard to player invitation into the national team. The situation, obviously, would have to change for the better if the ‘Milo’ is going to be charmingly sweet again.
Heartily, the Serbian says he is going to take full responsibility in player selections. That is good to hear.
In his previous outing, Milovan played a total of 28 games and won 12, drawn same number and lost four – scoring 35 goals and conceding 33. Not a bad record though, but he may have to improve on his concession rate and aim at scoring more.
Though only two games played, the Stars – former World Cup quarter-finalists, have not given any strong indication of making it to the Mundial. They have been very less inspiring and really discomforting in both games against Ethiopia and South Africa, selling out some rambling football of indignity to the world. That was what precipitated the exit of Akonnor.
On October 9 when they take on the Warriors of Zimbabwe, Ghanaians would expect to see a polished Black Stars that play with bountiful flair, panache and such ruthless intensity in attack.
Of course, nobody needs to tell Milo to invite players who are busy for their teams; not bench warmers, not pretenders, not those who are eager to pay money for their spot – but rather, quality actors who are prepared to give their all for the result! That is the only way Milo could make his second coming tastefully memorable again.
PlainTalk with John Vigah
A little over six weeks ago, everything pointed to a Medeama SC coronation as 2025/26 Ghana Premier League (GPL) champions at the end of the season.
That sounds premature, considering the fact that there were close to about 15 matches before the curtain was drawn on the competition.
However, believers of that assumption were right with that call due to Medeama’s form and doughty-character.
Medeama has been fearless this season. They have been ruthless, sharp, composed and a very formidable opposition, dealing with what their opponents throw at them.
In fact, establishing a 17-game unbeaten run speaks volumes of the quality Medeama has shown this season.
Two people have been key in this transformational story – Coach Ibrahim Tanko and playmaker, Salim Adams.
As of Week 21, Medeama SC opened a yawning seven-point gap with 43 points, leading Aduana FC, Hearts of Oak and Gold Stars, all with 36 points without any indication of slowing down.
But the story has completely changed just four matches after, with Medeama currently occupying the top spot with a slim one point.
Worse of all is the failure to record a win in their last five games in the competition, surviving at the top with unfavourable results of their closest competitors.
That winless run has seen Medeama drawn in three games against Samartex FC, Aduana FC and Swedru All Blacks, and lost to Nations FC and Hohoe United.
The nature of the defeat to Hohoe United generated controversy among those who won’t accept that a penalty miss and an erratic clearance by goalkeeper Felix Kyei that gifted the Voltarians the winning goal were genuine errors.
Their recent falters should have been pleasant opportunities for second-placed Gold Stars, and Hearts of Oak to capture reins at the top, but strangely, they suffered challenges of their own; leaving Medeama hanging at the top.
These dynamics are beginning to paint a positive picture for the competition as clubs at the top fight for more points to take pole positions, wrest with strugglers who are also battling hard for survival.
Outside of the top three, with chances of assuming the top spot if the Medeama form does not see any improvement, are Karela United and Asante Kotoko.
Despite their struggles, they have an outside chance of joining the battle at the top with nine matches to go.
At this stage of the competition, the pressure will be on Coach Ibrahim Tanko and his Medeama charges. Having ‘bottled’ a seven-point gap to a single point, it is surely theirs to lose.
Tanko, in previous interviews, has parried questions over the pressure on him and the team, but their current predicament leaves much to be desired.
The next two months would witness intense battle at both ends of the table with as many as five clubs having reason to contest for the ultimate, with about the same number set for the late drama to escape the last two slots to join Eleven Wonders, who are the surest bet for demotion.
By Andrew Nortey
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A step closer to glory awaits six Ghana Premier League (GPL) club sides and two Division One clubs as they battle for spots at the semi-finals stage of the 2025-26 MTN FA Cup this weekend at the Cape Coast Stadium and the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem.
Dreams FC, the 2022-2023 champions, will clash with Heart of Lions in the quarter-finals at the Cape Coast Stadium tomorrow at pm.
Heart of Lions are going through a difficult spell in the league, having lost ground on their title aspirations that started brightly.
Dreams FC thrashed Lions 3-0 in the reverse fixture of the GPL game in January after losing 1-0 in the first round tie, and tomorrow’s game comes in to settle the scores between the two sides this season.
Although struggling, Lions lie two places above Dreams’ 12th position on the league log and will look to take that inspiration into the game.
The day’s other game will see two-time champions Medeama SC battle Access Bank Division One League (DOL) Zone Three side Attram De Visser at the same venue at 7pm.
The GPL leaders Medeama SC are in the chase for a double this season and will chase a win to appease their fans.
After defeating Asante Kotoko 4-2 on penalties in the Round of 16, Aduana FC will seek to account for Access Bank DOL Zone One B campaigners, Techiman Liberty Youth, today.
Aduana FC are in the hunt for a double this season as they are currently third on the GPL table, trailing leaders Medeama SC with five points.
Having been decisive in matches against Nsuatre FC, Victory Club Warriors and Real Tamale United to get this far, the best in the annals of the club’s history, coach Ezekiel Nii Yeboah of Liberty Youth would be out to cause an upset.
At the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem tomorrow, another interesting pairing is set to play out as the all-Premier League affair between Nations FC and Berekum Chelsea takes centre stage.
By Raymond Ackumey
