Stevanovic departs from Ghana

Ex-Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic left the shores of the country on Monday night hours after his dismissal as the Black Stars coach. It was thought the Serbian would stay in the country until a compensation package is agreed as he had ten months left on his contract. His lawyer Zoran Anjic was expected to meet the GFA on Wednesday to continue meetings over a compensation package for Stevanovic. But MTNFootball.com understands that the Serbian trainer and his lawyer left on Monday saying the negotiations will continue while they are away.

After plenty of delay and deliberation, the Ghanaian FA (GFA) eventually chose to dismiss the Serb with ten months left on his contract on Monday. His downfall came after losing the 2012 Nations Cup semi-final to Zambia, the sole competitive defeat his side suffered during his reign. Stevanovic, a former Yugoslav international and championship winning coach with Partizan Belgrade, was the third successive Serbian in charge of Ghana and had been expected to build on the work of compatriots Ratomir Dujkovic and Milovan Rajevac.

Although Ghana looked impressive in their qualifying campaign last year, they were unable to end a 30-year wait for Nations Cup success at the 2012 tournament co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Ghana, who last lifted the Nations Cup in 1982, were among the favourites this year and won their opening round group, but a tempestuous extra time quarter-final win over Tunisia appeared to sap their energy and they were beaten in the semis by Zambia.

They then lost the third place play-off 2-0 to Mali in Malabo. It signalled the end of road for Stevanovic although his departure took more than a month to finalise.