Otto Addo and four other top coaches who could replace Milovan Rajevac

The Senior National team of Ghana, Black Stars, are in the hunt for a new manager following their abysmal performance in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which cost coach Milovan Rajevac his Job.

The Serb replaced CK Akunnor in November last year and guided Ghana to the World Cup play-offs where they are scheduled to play Nigeria in March.

His return to the team was met with mixed reactions among fans following unsuccessful spells in Qatar, Algeria, Thailand and among others.

The 68-year old oversaw Ghana’s worst campaign at the AFCON after the team finished last in Group C without winning a single game.

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The Black Stars exited the tournament at the bottom of Group C where they failed to record a win in three games.

Ghana is understood to be in the hunt for a new manager after the Serb was ousted as a result of the Black Stars poor showing at the AFCON.

A lot of names have been linked to the vacant Black Stars job following the dismissal of Rajevac.

We look at four potential candidates that are likely to be considered for the Job and what they are likely to bring on board.

Ibrahim Tanko

The Ghanaian has built a huge reputation for himself across the continent with spells in Cameroon and the Ghana Senior National Team.

He’s also held roles in Asia and Europe in a career which started as the youth coach of Freiburg in 2007.

The 48-year old was part of the Cameroon team that qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON).

Tanko has also got experience with the senior National Team following spells as the assistant coach to the Black Stars in 2019. He also guided Ghana to the U-23 AFCON( first time in 12 years) in Egypt where they placed fourth following a Marathon shootout loss against South Africa.

His experience and man management skills makes him an idle candidate for the Job.

Otto Addo

The 46-year old is relatively inexperience when it comes to International football.

Addo is currently the Assistant coach for the Black Stars and Borussia Dortmund. He previously held roles as the youth coach at Hamburg and the talent development coach at Dortmund and Mochengladbach.

The former Black Stars player eyes for developing talent suit the current crop of players in the Senior National Team.

The Black Stars assembled averagely the second youngest team in the 2021 AFCON. He’s overseen the development of high profile players such as Jason Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Erling Halaand among others.

His appointment will benefit the our younger players and hopefully bring the best out of them.

Herve Renard

Perhaps tick all the boxes for the vacant coaching role. The French coach is a winner and knows the African terrain well.

Renard won the AFCON with Zambia and Ivory Coast. He was also a member of the Black Stars technical team that finished third in 2008 AFCON held in Ghana.

The 53-year old understands the Ghanaian culture and is said to demand his team to work hard in and out of possession.

He is currently the head coach of Saudi Arabia and sources say he’s always been keen on the Black Stars Job. However his hefty demand wages might put the FA off.

Tom Saintfient

The Belgian has caught the eye with the way he has managed the Gambian team at the ongoing AFCON.

Not popular among followers of the African football. He made a name for himself while managing the Namibian National team. He also had stints with Zimbabwe and Malawi.

The 48-year old has been impressive with his playing style at the ongoing AFCON tournament- leading Gambia to a historic quarter final place in their first appearance in the complete.

Sainfient favors a 4-2-3-1 system with emphasis on being compact at the back and attacking with pace.

His command over the English Language and deep understanding of the game will make him a good candidate for the job.

Chris Hughton

Chris Hughton is leading the race to become the next Ghana coach following the sack of Milovan Rajevac last week. The 63-year-old arrived in Ghana on Friday and has already met Callum Hudson-Odoi’s father in what is believed to be his first attempts at convincing the Chelsea star to play for Ghana.

Hughton’s managerial pedigree spans across 20 years and includes leading two clubs, Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion to promotion to the Premier League.

He was appointed as manager of Nottingham Forest in October 2020, before being dismissed in September 2021 after a poor start to the season.

Milo sacked

Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association will be looking for a new Black Stars coach in the next few days after confirming the sacking of Serbian trainer Milovan Rajevac.

Rajevac was sacked after leading Ghana to its worst ever Africa Cup of Nations performance, after the Black Stars failed to win a single game in Cameroon.

In a statement released on the FA website, the football association revealed the decision to let Milovan Rajevac leave was based on three reports from AFCON.