Stevanovic Could Earn $200,000 At Afcon

Ghana’s Black Stars trainer, Goran Stevanovic can earn a whooping 200, 000 dollars in bonuses if he leads the Black Stars to Africa Nations Cup glory in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea commencing later this month.

The Serb who is poised to win the continental title can earn that much in bonuses, according to Kwesi Nyantakyi, President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

Stevanovic’s package is double what is planned for the playing body. The players can rake in an excess of a 100,000 dollars each if they end Ghana’s wait for a nation’s cup glory in three decades.

Nyantakyi said ‘the coach receives double of what the players get because he masterminds the entire strategy for the team to execute.

"That is why they get fired when they under-perform. Being a coach is a risky job and risks go with rewards."

The GFA has made winning of the Nations Cup as part of the performance indicators for the Serbian who has a two-year renewable contract with Ghana, but the FA President is adamant Stevanovic can be shown the exit if he fails to deliver the trophy. "That is not up to me to say and it will depend on a lot of factors. For example, if he takes us to the finals and we lose on penalties because the players let us down, then one cannot entirely blame the coach." Coach Stevanovic is said to be taking his charges through various regimes to improve their confidence level in camp in South Africa ahead of the biannual fiesta that pieces Africa’s best 16 together.

"Self belief was lacking in the team’s campaign in the previous competitions in both Angola and at the World Cup in South Africa. Haven identified this, the coach has fashioned out a way of raising the players’ confidence." Nyantakyi hinted that various motivational messages are placed on strategic places such as walls and training apparels of the players as part of the drive to build their confidence levels.

The Black Stars, currently fine-turning in Rustenburg, South Africa are regarded as one of the tournament favourites alongside the Elephants of Cote D'Voire. Ghana begins her campaign against debutants, Botswana on January 24th before taking on Guinea and Mali in search of a surge from Group D.