The Ghanaian Journal

Angolan football coach Oliveira Goncalves was rewarded Wednesday for the team’s strong showing at the African Nations Cup by having his contract extended until the next tournament in 2010.

Goncalves, who steered the Black Antelopes to the quarter-finals of the tournament earlier this month, told state radio he had received “a very interesting proposal” to coach Morocco who recently parted company with veteran Frenchman Henri Michel.

However he had decided to accept an offer to extend his deal until 2010 when Angola will play host to the cream of African football. “Angola gets priority,” he told the state-run RNA radio station.

Justino Fernandes, chairman of the Angolan Football Association (FAF) told reporters that Goncalves had deserved a new improved deal.

“After these last four years we have confidence in him. He will stay until the 2010 CAN,” Fernandes said.

Angola, torn apart by a 27-year war which ended in 2002, is rapidly emerging as a new powerhouse in African football.

As well as its strong showing at the recent tournament in Ghana, it also qualified for the first time in 2006 for the World Cup in Germany.

They were knocked out of the African Nations Cup in Ghana by eventual winners Egypt, with Manchester United’s recent signing Manucho emerging as one of the stars of the tournament.