Gyan denies ignoring Prez Mahama in Brazil

Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has registered his displeasure at media reports that the Black Stars disrespected President John Dramani Mahama during the 2014 World Cup impasse.

With the team threatening a boycott if appearance fees owed them were not paid before Ghana’s 2-1 loss to Portugal in the last group game, the government of Ghana were left with no choice but to fly over $3.5m from Accra to Brazil to offset the fees just the night before the game, even after President Mahama had earlier pleaded with the team for calm ahead of the game.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Gyan says reports that the team resisted attempts by the president to calm issues are false and malicious.

“We have huge respect (for the president),” he said after Wednesday’s training session in Kumasi.

“He’s like our father and we respect him a lot. During the tournament, he had to call me personally and we spoke to some of the players. Everything was alright.

“If somebody says the president spoke to us and we did not listen, then that’s not true,” he added.

Hurt by the accusation, Gyan went on to implore the press about such comments which he thinks have dire rippling consequences.

“We have to stop bringing out such information. It is not good for us and it brings problems to camp.

“This has to stop. We’re also human beings, we represent the nation but we’ve got families,” he lamented.

Ghana takes on Uganda at the Baba Yara Stadium on Saturday in the 2015 AFCON qualifiers in a group which also includes Togo and Guinea.