Gyan must retire with no bitterness – MP

Member of Parliament for Mpohor Constituency and Chairman of Parliament’s Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture Hon. Alex Kofi Agyekum says its regrettable for Asamoah Gyan to exit from the Blackstars with pains.

He believes the the 33-year-old has served the nation well and deserves to bow out in an honourable manner instead of leaving the team with disappointment.

“I won’t be surprised if President Akufo-Addo steps in to convince Gyan to rethink his decision, because Team Ghana needs the Spirit, togetherness and the energy for the Tournament. If you felt that the decision was imperative, this thing should have come long ago, so that the dust would have been settled so that the few days left for the tournament the camp will go in one spirit. If we accept Gyan’s resignation letter like this without any efforts to make him rescind his decision, it would have been the greatest disservice to this youngman who has served the country so well. I think that the exit of Asamoah Gyan should not be on such note, although he reserves the right to make his own decisions,” he said in an interview with host Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM.

Ghana’s all-time leading scorer Asamoah Gyan announced his retirement from the Black Stars with 32 days to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after a decision to strip him of the captaincy.

The Kayserispor striker is disgruntled that the head coach Kwesi Appiah has decided to hand the armband to Andre Ayew.

Gyan leaves the Black Stars as the lead scorer with over 50 goals after leading the team at three World Cup competitions.

A statement signed by the striker said:"If the decision of the coach is to give captaincy of the tournament to another player while I am named in the team for the tournament, I wish to rescue myself from the tournament.

"I also wish to retire from the national team permanently, not pretending my presence would not fuel the purported undermining the country has seen under my captaincy.”

"I would continue to serve the country Ghana in other endeavors as a businessman through various investments.”

Gyan made his international debut at the age of 17 and scored on his senior debut for Ghana against Somalia on 19 November 2003 in the 90th minute.

He came on for Isaac Boakye in the 62nd minute in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier, three days before he turned 18 years; helping Ghana to win that game, and making him the youngest ever player to score for Ghana.

He scored four times in seven matches during that successful World Cup qualifying campaign.

He represented Ghana at 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

With 6 goals, he is the top African goalscorer in the history of the World Cup.

Gyan has also represented Ghana at the 2004 Summer Olympics and in seven Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017, helping them finish in third-place in 2008 and runner-up in 2010 and 2015.