Football: Gyan gives Ghana the brush-off

Full back Christian Gyan has told Ghanaian authorities he will no longer play for the national team so he can concentrate on his career at Feyenoord in the Dutch league.

Gyan missed much of last season in Holland, blaming the loss of his first team place to the fact that he had to leave Feyenoord to play for Ghana in the African Nations Cup finals.

The 21-year-old has been at Feyenoord since 1996, having been signed after the 1995 under-17 world championships in Ecuador where he was a member of Ghana’s winning team.

Gyan’s Feyenoord colleague, Ivory Coast striker Bonaventure Kalou, has told his country that he will not be available for the African Nations Cup qualifiers but will play for the national side in their World Cup qualifying bid.

The 23-year spent much of last season back and forward between Rotterdam and Africa after playing in the Nations Cup finals and also for the Ivorian under-23 side in their abortive bid to qualify for the Sydney Olympics.