The man behind the Stars
For the second consecutive major tournament, after the CAF Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, Ghana have exceeded expectations, and they now stand on the brink of making African football history. The Black Stars, playing in just their second FIFA World Cupâ„¢ after Germany 2006, are a win over Uruguay away from becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
In January they went to the final of the continental championship despite using a team largely built around players from last year's FIFA U-20 World Cup winning squad after a devastating run of injuries cost them half of the regular team. Again in the run-up to South Africa, many wrote off the side after the loss of midfield talisman Michael Essien to injury, but coach Milovan Rajevac has still managed to build a unit that is solid, difficult to beat and good on the ball without being overly fussy. Along the way he has won plaudits for his tactics and team-building, and Ghana have proven themselves the most strategic and promising side on the continent.
Ghana's run to the final of the AFCON was marked by three consecutive 1-0 victories with the two winners in the knockout rounds scored by Asamoah Gyan, who has found the net three times in South Africa as well – including decisive strikes against Serbia and the US. Gyan explained that the team had learned to trust the 56-year-old's choices, and he also credited him with helping the team to build positive energy.
"I think sometimes he does something strange that you, as a player, don't understand. But when you go to the game, it happens [how he said]," said Gyan about a coach without big-name club or international experience. "He's very calm, and he's not so strict. We Africans, we don't like strict coaches. Football is not about fighting, it's about enjoying yourself and making sure you do your best. So I think we are coping well with the coach. Because tactically he's good and everything that he does works on the field."
Captain of the U-20 World Cup-winning side, Andre Ayew, also praised the way the team has been put together. "I think this is one of the best decisions the coach took: to mix such players, the older ones and the very young ones," said the son of Ghana legend Abedi Pele. "You have the energy of the younger ones and you have the experience from the older ones."