Afcon 2021: Ghana coach Rajevac makes promise amid calls for fifth title

Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has set his sights on leading Ghana to glory at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, believing parallels could be drawn between 2010 when he led the Black Stars to the final and to present times.  

The Serbian is set for his second appearance at the continental championship, having steered the West Africans to a second finish behind Egypt in Angola during his first spell.

In Cameroon next year, the Black Stars will make another attempt to go a step further than they did in 2010, starting from the group stage when they face Morocco, Gabon and Comoros.

“2010 was great, we have a beautiful recollection of that event,” Rajevac, who was reappointed as Ghana coach in September, told pressmen at the unveiling of his provisional squad for the January 9 – February 6 event in Cameroon.

“Many didn’t believe in our team and that time we were very close to winning that cup, we couldn’t count on some players and our group was great and a group of players.

“We were fighting throughout the competition and we were very close at that time. I still believe that we were a better team in that final, but were a little bit unlucky at the end.

“Now the situation is almost the same of course, if you’re looking at the Fifa ranking, we are not in the right position like before but that doesn’t mean anything necessarily since many teams want to win this cup.”

Ghana have won the Afcon title on four previous occasions.

Their last success, however, came as far back as 1982 when they beat hosts Libya to conquer the continent.

“We know how much this is important and how if we do this, the whole country will be happy,” the 67-year-old added.

“We can only promise that we are going to do our best to go match by match because for us every next match is most important in our career.

“We are going to do our best to achieve this goal and make everybody happy.”

During his first stint, Rajevac also led Ghana to the final of the 2009 African Nations Championship and to the quarter-final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.