A Serb among the "Black Stars"

How will Nenad Glisic, an interpreter for the Ghana football team, survive the first match against Serbia at the upcoming World Cup?

By Milena Petrovic for Southeast European Times in Belgrade -- 07/06/10

Ghana team captain Stephen Appiah, Glisic and striker Junior Agogo. [Courtesy of Nenad Gilic]

If you are an English language graduate in Serbia, you usually end up working as a school teacher or as an interpreter in one of many international organisations. This rule, however, did not apply in case of Nenad Glisic, an official interpreter of Ghana national football team.

When he was invited for a job interview a few years back, he never dreamed of ending up in Africa as a close associate of Milovan Rajevac, the coach of Ghana's national football team.

What he least expected was to be a part of Ghana's history-making success -- qualifying for the FIFA 2010 World Cup which kicks off on June 11th in South Africa. Amid football fever around the globe, Glisic found a moment to speak with SETimes.

SETimes: How did you end up in Ghana?

Nenad Glisic: The coach of Ghana national team is a Serb -- Milovan Rajevac. Since English is the official language there, he needed an interpreter who has great understanding of football as a game and knows the terminology in detail. In the two years since we've been there, we have been quite successful and managed to qualify for the forthcoming World Championship. We also won two silver medals at the African Championship and African Cup of Nations.

The country has nicknamed the team the Black Stars. [Getty Images]

SETimes: What do the people in Ghana expect from their football team at the World Cup?

Glisic: Football is undeniably the most popular sport in Ghana. Other sports practically do not exist. People's expectations are always high -- they've nicknamed their team the Black Stars. The players enjoy great respect in their country, and people are hoping they live up to the name.

Everybody dreams about Ghana winning the cup. At the same time, they are very proud that, for the first time in history, the World Cup is taking place on African soil. Football helps them forget all the existential problems they've got and victories are their greatest joy.

SETimes: Tell us something more about the on-going preparations of Ghana national team. In your opinion, how far can they go at this championship?

Glisic: Preparations took place in Paris, then we've played a friendly match with The Netherlands in Rotterdam and Latvia in London. We are now planning to head to South Africa. Our group at the championship is pretty tough, we have to play Serbia, Australia and Germany. Ghana's team is made up of remarkable individuals who play in the strongest world leagues -- England, Italy, Germany, France.

For example, Sulley Muntari won the Champions League with Internazionale (Milan) and Michael Essien the English Championship with Chelsea (London).

Glisic with Ghana defender John Paintsil. [Courtesy of Nenad Glisic]

The main goal is to make it to the top two teams in the group and qualify for the semifinals. We'll take it step by step. Everyone on the team is quite optimistic, and we all firmly believe we can reach far at 2010 World Cup.

SETimes: What was the reaction of Coach Rajevac once he found out Ghana was in the same group with Serbia?

Glisic: Of course, he didn't want Serbia in the same group but, whatever the case may be, he's a professional and has to cope with all the unforeseen and, sometimes, unpleasant circumstances. However, he definitely wishes to see both Ghana and Serbia in the semifinals.

SETimes: How will you personally survive that match? Before the match with Serbia, could you possibly make "accidental" misinterpretation in Rajevac's instructions to the footballers?

Glisic: That's a funny one! Let me tell you that there's no room for emotions in what I do. As before, I will try to do my job as professionally as possible since, let's be honest, you can't live off patriotism. Again, if we're talking in terms of expectations, I'd love to see both teams in the next round of the competition and I'd sincerely like to wish all the best to the Serbian team.

SETimes: One of the greatest football managers of today, Jose Mourinho, started out his career as an interpreter. Do you have plans to become a coach at some point in the future?

Glisic: Well, you never know what the next day will bring! At the moment, I'm not considering such call, since I believe it's very difficult and requires a lot of sacrifices in life. Also, it is quite stressful. I honestly cannot picture myself doing anything similar, at least not in the near future.