Squads for friendly games especially one that manager and players more tuned to the start of their various club seasons in Europe are not amused about causes little ripples but Milovan Rajevac’s call ups for Ghana’s date with South Africa in Johannesburg next week will. The Serbian first made sure he stuck by the key men from his world cup campaign and in so doing pleased the men at the GFA who struck a deal whose financial terms was heavily influenced by the presence of those big names. So Asamoah Gyan will return to the scene of his world cup quarter final heartache, Kevin-Prince Boateng will return to the venue where he made history with his brother as the first to face off on opposite sides in the tournament and the entire Ghana team will get the chance to play the only competitive game available for Rajevac before Ghana open her 2012 Nations Cup qualifying campaign not far from Johannesburg in Swaziland in the first week of September. Chances are that many of those players due to play South Africa next week will be the same ones lining up against Swaziland in September. Two names are bound to come back in. Michael Essien is fit and playing again. In September, fitness permitting, there is every chance he will line up for Ghana again after his injury induced absence since January. So will John Paintsil who, you suspect like Essien has been given the freedom of time to get into the best state of mind for the start of the English premiership three days after the game in Soccer City. They will be a rare breed when they get back in: long serving members of the side, into their late 20s and still considered relevant to the Black Stars cause. Truth is that is the exact group Milovan Rajevac looks to be pushing slowly into the background. Sulley Muntari made it easy with his attitude during the world cup and despite a publicity and humanitarian blitz designed to win back some public sympathy, he is very much in Rajevac’s minus books. The voices against his continous stay in the team are getting louder and there is no guarantee he will walk back in anytime soon. Stephen Appiah gained his entry into the world cup on a wave of public support and a lot of faith from Milovan Rajevac. The coach’s sparse use of the iconic midfielder in South Africa suggest he is increasingly finding little use for him on the field with Kevin Prince Boateng, Agyemang Badu, Yao Kumordzie and Kojo Asamoah all slugging it out in midfield. Derek Boateng did not kick a ball in South Africa. Chances are he won’t kick any more under Rajevac for Ghana while the Serbian seems to have set his heart on giving Harrison Afful another chance on the left side of defence. Richard Kingson and John Mensah belong to the class of experienced, aging players likely to be around for a while but in the case of Kingson it is as much a case of inadequate back ups as it is of his quality. The purpose of the exercise in Soccer City will not be win at all cost but many of the players picked by Rajevac know they could be part of a team evolving in the long term. And many of those not called up will be wondering if they will get their chance again. You have to wonder too. By Michael Oti Adjei