Akosa: Ghana’s obsession with Serbian coaches befuddling

Nkrumahist Prof Agyemang Badu Akosa has slammed a decision by the Ghana Football Association, to replace Kwesi Appiah, head coach of the senior national football team, with Serbian Milovan Rajevac.

Appiah’s predecessor (Rajevac), whom he deputised a few years ago, was initially brought in as a technical advisor to shore up the local coach’s technical abilities, but will now take over as head coach.

Ghana has had a string of Serbian coaches to handle the Black Stars in the past: Ratomir Dukovic, 2004-2006; Milovan Rajevac, 2008-2010; and Goran Stevanovic 2011-2012.

Appiah took over from Rajevac as interim Coach in 2010 and also served as Deputy to Stevanovic until he eventually became head coach in 2012 after Stevanovic’s departure.

While he coached the Stars, Rajevac was paid US$30,000 as salary. However, Appiah was paid US$20,000 when he assumed the same position.

He got a raise to US$25,000 after qualifying the Stars to the FIFA 2014 World Cup tournament in Brazil. Rajevac is expected to be paid US$50,000 when he takes over from Appiah.

The firing of Appiah to pave way for Rajevac has angered former Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Prof Akosa, who wondered, Friday, why the GFA was so obsessed with hiring Serbians to handle the Black Stars.

“Why are we so obsessed with Serbians?” Prof Akosa asked on private FM station, Citi. In his view, the Serbians have done nothing extraordinary to deserve such obsession.

He condemned the handlers of the game for paying Appiah a “pittance” and yet expecting him to “conjure magic”.

Appiah led the four-time African champions to their worst ever World Cup campaign in Brazil. The Stars picked just a point after three group games at the last global football showpiece.

The campaign was marred by a series of in-house wrangling leading to the expulsion of midfield duo Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari.

Ghana then dominated world news headlines when a whopping amount of $4 million was flown to Brazil to settle players’ appearance fee after the players refused to train over delays in paying them.

Deep throat sources have hinted StarrFMonline.com that Appiah would be informed of the decision by Friday and given the option to resign voluntarily or be sacked.

The Ghana FA is in discussions with the headline sponsors of the Black Stars – the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation – and other stakeholders to agree on the compensation package of the ‘Silent Killer.’