GFA wanted Milovan Rajevac to stay despite 2021 Afcon humiliation - Nana Oduro Sarfo

The Ghana Football Association (GFA)'s Executive Committee member, Nana Oduro Sarfo, has revealed that the FA wanted to maintain Milovan Rajevac as the head coach of the Black Stars despite the poor performance at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nation.

The Serbian trainer who replaced CK Akonnor on a one-year renewable deal in September 2021 was tasked to win the AFCON in Cameroon.

Shockingly, for the first time since 2006, the Black Stars failed to win a game in the Afcon.

Ghana suffered a defeat to Morocco in the group opener before sharing spoils with Gabon. In the final group game against debutants Comoros, the Black Stars suffered a 3-2 defeat to exit the tournament with just a point.

Following the abysmal performance of the team, the Ministry of Youth and Sports summoned the Ghana FA leadership for the disappointing performance of the team.

Milovan was subsequently sacked following the meeting.

However, according to Nana Oduro Sarfo, it was the wish of the GFA to allow Rajevac to continue as the head coach.

“We as EXCO members thought if Milo was given another chance, it would have been good. Per the number of training he had with the players, the most training they had was four days in Qatar together with the COVID issue," he told Accra-based Starr FM.

According to Nana Oduro Sarfo, the performance of the Black Stars was on the rise in the Afcon and they believed it would have been better in the future.

“There was an ascending sort of graph over there (AFCON). We lost 1-0 to Morocco, drew 1-1 with Gabon and scored two against Comoros. So it means it could have gotten better in the future. So when we came back we thought the coach should be given another opportunity.” he said.

Asked about why they eventually sacked Milovan Rajevac, he revealed “the paymaster (Government) said he did not want the coach and then Ghanaians also added their voice so we did not want it to look like we were fighting our fellow Ghanaians," he concluded.

Milovan Rajevac meanwhile steered the Black Stars to book a place in the playoffs of the 2022 World Cup.

Otto Addo has been named as the interim coach of the Black Stars.