Ghana set ambitiuos 2014 World Cup target

Ghana’s unprecedented appearance in the 2010 Fifa World Cup quarterfinals has left their fans hungry for more success.
This is reflected in the high benchmark the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has set for the new Ghana Black Stars coach Goran Stevanovic. He has signed a two year contract which is renewable depending on the Black Stars performance.
“We have tasked Stevanovic to take the Black Stars to heights no African team has achieved at the Fifa World Cup. Ghana aim to become the first African country to win the World Cup,” says Kofi Nsiah, the GFA General Secretary.
Ghana followed Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002) in reaching World Cup quarterfinals. The GFA has dangled attractive incentives to underpin their desire to see the Black Stars break new grounds at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
“Stevanovic will receive a bonus package of half a million Euros should Ghana qualify for the 2014 World Cup final. In the event the Black Stars win the 2014 World Cup, Stevanovic will receive a bonus of one million Euros,” Nsiah disclosed.
Ghanaians are not waiting for 2014 to see Stevanovic deliver results. He has his work cut out from the moment he assumes work in Ghana at the beginning of February.
“His immediate assignment is to win the Africa Cup of Nations. Stevanovic will have two opportunities in this regard,” says Nsiah.
Ghana seeks to take full advantage of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to shift the staging of the Nations Cup from even to odd numbered years. After Gabon and Equatorial Guinea co-host the event in 2012, teams will again be vying for the coveted trophy the following year in Libya.
“Winning the Nations Cup is a realistic starting point. Ghana last won the event in 1982 ?? in Libya. We were third in 2008 and runners up in 2010. Now it is time to bring the trophy home,” says Nsiah.
Stevanovic admits Ghana has a pool of talent with the potential to achieve their dreams. However he is under no illusion of the enormous challenge that lies ahead.
“My biggest challenge is to motivate the players to believe they can do much more than they did in South Africa. It is a daunting task because they have achieved so much. The Black Stars mirror the country’s image and we will work together with total commitment,” Stevanovic assures.