Rajevac to repeat 2006 World Cup success

Ghana are well placed to emulate their achievement of reaching the second round at the 2006 World Cup thanks to a production line of youthful talent, Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac said. Ghana, who qualified for next year's finals in South Africa with two matches to spare, will head into their second successive finals buoyed by the success of the under-20 side that won the World Cup in Egypt earlier this month.

“It will give the senior team a great impetus for the African Nations Cup in January and especially the World Cup finals in South Africa,” Rajevac told Reuters in a telephone interview on Monday.

“Some of those players have already played for the 'A' team and I will call up seven or eight of them for our final World Cup home qualifier against Mali in November.

“We are among the best teams in Africa and our ambition is to at least emulate the 2006 result achieved by fellow Serb Ratomir Dujkovic, when he steered Ghana into the second round.

“Ideally I would love to play against Serbia in the final and if that happens, may the better team win because I am overjoyed for both nations to be in the tournament.”

“But there will be many outstanding teams in the way, most of all Spain who are the favourites to win the World Cup although England, Brazil and possibly Argentina will be top contenders too.

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In 2006, Ghana progressed from a group including eventual winners Italy, the Czech Republic and the United States, before bowing out with a 3-0 defeat to Brazil.

Rajevac, who made an immediate impact after taking over from Frenchman Claude Le Roy in August 2008, acknowledged Ghana's chances of doing well in 2010 may depend on who they face in the preliminary stage of the competition.

“The draw for the group stage is very important, but I do believe we have the ability and the talent to do well.

“So do other African teams, especially Ivory Cost who are led by Didier Drogba and boast a hatful of top quality players performing for Europe's leading clubs.

“Africa has become the chief exporter of top level players and it would be great for the continent if one of its teams could become world champions.

“The basic prerequisite to do well is to have a squad capable of playing a series of tough matches in a short time-span, hence my World Cup squad is likely to include many players from the under-20 side which impressed in Egypt.”

Striker Dominic Adiyiah was the tournament's top scorer with eight goals and Ghana were captained by versatile playmaker Andre Ayew, the son of former triple African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele.

“The pair were the driving force behind Ghana's success in Egypt, but in fairness the entire crop promises a very bright long-term future,” said Rajevac.