LET PLAVI STAY !!!

The Ghanaian soccer populace has recently being inundated with calls for and against the sacking of the Black Stars coach, Goran “Plavi” Stevanovic. This is not surprising looking at the failed attempt by the Black Stars to annex the African Nations Cup for a fifth time. It was a somewhat unimpressive performance by the Black Stars who prior to the Championship were being touted as one of the firm favourites by bookmakers. It is in this light that many Ghanaians have shared their opinions as to what must be the fate of Plavi.

• Goran Stevanovic

However, the buck now rests with the Twenty Two (22) member Executive Committee who has power to fire or retain the Serbian trainer. At a meeting of the Committee on Thursday, 8^th March 2012, the future of the coach was deferred until next week. It is understood the FA will meet the coach prior to the announcement of the final decision.

It is clearly understood that some members of the Committee are hell bent on sacking the coach, but the question is, will it be in the best interest of Ghana? It is true the coach’s performance has not being par excellent but there is more room for improvement. The coach has expressed his desire and willingness to now “right all his wrongs to” make our darling Black Stars a much improved one than what we witnessed in Gabon/ Equatorial Guinea 2012 AFCON.

Plavi shot himself in the foot when he opted to resign should the Stars fail to clinch AFCON 2012 amidst promises of winning trophies for the country during his inauguration a year ago. He is also accused of hardly staying in the country to monitor the local league and to unearth new talents, a situation he has vowed to change. Again, others talk about his tactics, which is laughable because his overall results have shown he’s done fairly well.

Below is the record of Plavi as coach of Ghana, make your own assessment if the Serbian has done well or not;

 8/2/2011, Antwerp, Belgium: (Ghana 4-1 Togo) International Friendly

27/3/2011, Brazzaville, Congo: (Congo 0-3 Ghana) CAF Qualifier

29/3/2011, Wembley, England: (England 1-1 Ghana) International Friendly

3/6/ 2011, Kumasi, Ghana: (Ghana 3-1 Congo) CAF Qualifier

7/6/2011, Jeonju, South Korea: (South Korea 2-1 Ghana) International Friendly

2/9/2011, Accra, Ghana: (Ghana 2-0 Swaziland) CAF Qualifier

5/9/2011, Fulham, England: (Ghana 0-1 Brazil) International Friendly

7/10/2011, Khartoum, Sudan: (Sudan 0-2 Ghana) CAF Qualifier

11/10/2011, Watford, England: (Ghana 0-0 Nigeria) International Friendly

15/11/2011, Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, France: (Ghana 2-1 Gabon) International Friendly

15/1/2012, Rustenburg, South Africa: (South Africa 1-1 Ghana) International Friendly

18/1/2012, Rustenburg, South Africa: (Platinum Stars 0-2 Ghana) International Friendly

24/1/2012, Franceville, Gabon: (Ghana 1-0 Botswana) AFCON 2012

28/1/2012, Franceville, Gabon: (Ghana 2-0 Mali) AFCON 2012

1/2/2012, Franceville, Gabon: (Ghana 1-1 Guinea) AFCON 2012

5/2/2012, Franceville, Gabon: (Ghana 2-1 Tunisia) AFCON 2012

8/2/2012, Bata, Eq. Guinea: (Ghana 0-1 Zambia) AFCON 2012

11/2/2012, Malabo, Eq. Guinea: (Ghana 0-2 Mali) AFCON 2012

29/2/2012, Philadelphia, USA: (Ghana 1-1 Chile) International Friendly

The decision to sack Plavi, pay him a “judgement debt” ransom and hire a new man for me is untenable. He must be given a second chance to prove his worth. That would be much better than going to hire a new man with so much money in a country everybody is complaining of hardship. Time constraint too is a major problem as AFCON 2013 due to be held in South Africa is just around the corner. A new manager would also have to take some time to know the players.

The FA Committee must set aside their parochial interests and rather look at the supreme interest of the team we all profess to love with so much passion. The coach has clearly shown remorse for some of the stubborn decisions he took and so must be pardoned.

It is laughable whilst all of a sudden some names have started popping up as replacement for Plavi. It will feel very great to win a major tournament with a Ghanaian coach as was evidenced in our four (4) Cup of Nations wins years back. But the question is, which Ghanaian coach is well positioned currently to take the Stars to the “Promised Land”. The likes of Sellas Tetteh, Marcel Desailly, Abedi Pele, Ibrahim Tanko, David Duncan and Assistant Stars coach Akwasi Appiah are all great coaches, but are they ready and well poised to lead Ghana to glory?

I believe these guys must really bide their time and learn the modern rudiments of the game, because the techniques of the game is going through a lot of changes that I believe they are not ready for. There’s no time for “Trial and Error” with the Black Stars. Let them prove themselves somewhere else before they are entrusted with the National Team.

I will never forgive the Management Committee and for that matter the FA President Mr. Kwasi Nyantakyi, should Goran Stevanovic be fired and yet the Stars fail to annex South Africa 2013. At least Plavi has a year left on his contract so why not allow him to continue and if he fails to deliver, the axe be made to fall on his head.

Ghanaians are mainly disappointed we couldn’t win the African Cup not because we had the best squad, but mainly because we thought the absence of the so-called “big boys” in the shape of Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroun and South Africa offered us a rare opportunity. So if we couldn’t win even in the absence of these nations, then South Africa 2013 will definitely offer a stiffer challenge as these “absent” nations are hugely expected to be back.

It is in this light that we cannot afford to entrust the future of the team to untested and inexperienced hands. Let’s channel the money we are supposed to use to pay Plavi off and acquire a new coach to other areas of importance rather than let it go down the drain in vain. Let’s give Plavi a second chance.