By Kwamena JAFFUUL – Ghana

The 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana’s Black Stars with her new Serbian coach Goran ‘Plavi’ Stevanovic are spirited and relishing the vista of a momentous first international against England at the Wembley Stadium on Tuesday.

The West African nation Ghana’s Black Stars will Monday inspect and train at the famous venue ahead of Tuesday’s clash with the Three Lions.

The 44-year-old gaffer, Stevanovic has chalked two impressive wins against Togo in a friendly and Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Congo in the qualifying match for the 2012 African Nations Cup.

In March 2010, the three Lions crashed Africa Cup of Nations holders Egypt 3-1 in a friendly. The Black Stars after two successive wins are determined to continue with their winning way, with the sell-out game which is the first at senior level between both sides.

England are grief-stricken of some key personnel ahead of the match following Fabio Capello’s decision to allow John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson and Wayne Rooney return to their clubs.

However, Stevanovic has his full squad to choose from with Asamoah Gyan available for selection after sitting out of the Nations Cup qualifier in Brazzaville due to suspension.

Gyan, an instant hit in the Premiership since his record signing by Sunderland from Rennes last summer would lead Ghana’s England-based quintet of Black Cats colleagues, Sulley Muntari and John Mensah, Blackpool’s goalkeeper Richard Kingson and John Paintsil of Fulham.

The game against England would complete a busy three-day fixture arrangement for the Black Stars.

Ghana Squad

Goalkeepers: Richard Kingson (Blackpool, England), Sammy Adjei (Hearts of Oak, Ghana) Ernest Sowah (Berekum Chelsea, Ghana)

Defenders: John Paintsil (Fulham, England) Samuel Inkoom (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine) Daniel Opare (Standard Liege, Belgium) David Addy (Academica Coimbra, Portugal) Jonathan Mensah (Granada, Spain) Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim, Germany) John Mensah (Sunderland, England) Lee Addy (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia)

Midfielders: Anthony Annan (Schalke 04, Germany), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Bernard Kumordzi (Panionios, Greece) Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese, Italy) Sulley Muntari (Sunderland, England) Derek Boateng (Getafe, Spain) Andre Ayew (Marseille, France)

Attackers: Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland, England) Prince Tagoe (Partizan Belgrade, Serbia) Dominic Adiyiah (Partizan Belgrade, Serbia) Nathaniel Asamoah (Asante Kotoko, Ghana) Emmanuel Clottey (Berekum Chelsea, Ghana).

Fabio Capello, born 18 June 1946 is a retired Italian footballer and current manager of the England national football team, having started the role in January 2008.

Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career.

In his first five seasons as a manager he won four Serie A titles with Milan, where he also won the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League, defeating Barcelona 4–0 in a memorable final. He then spent a year at Real Madrid, where he won the La Liga title at his first attempt, and in 2001 led Roma to their first league title in 18 years.

Capello also won two titles at Juventus (which were later stripped after the Calciopoli scandal), and in 2006 returned to Real Madrid, where he won another La Liga title.

Overall he has won a major league championship in seven (or nine, counting the two revoked titles with Juventus) of his 16 seasons as a coach, and is one of the few managers to claim championship victories in four major European cities: Milan, Madrid, Rome, and Turin.

On the other hand, the 44-year old new boss and former Partizan tactician Goran ‘Plavi’ Stevanovic, replaced his compatriot Milovan Rajevac who led Ghana to their first ever quarter-final at the global football showpiece in South Africa and resigned afterwards.

The retired midfielder began his football career with Partizan Belgrade in 1983 and retired in 1999 with Panelefsiniakos. Presently, he holds a UEFA Pro Licence and commenced coaching in 2001 with Cukaricki Stamcom in the Serbian elite league.

Between 2003 and 2006, the 44-year-old served in an assistant capacity with the Serbian and Montenegro national team that left a mark at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Thereafter, he became the assistant coach for Serbian giants Partizan Belgrade between 2007 and 2009 before being promoted as head coach.

He was the assistant coach when Partizan Belgrade won two league titles and two FA Cups between 2007 and 2009. He retired upon pressure from the fans.

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Tags: England, Fabio Capello, Ghana, Ghana Squad

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