Avram Grant’s agent is not my agent - Kwesi Appiah

Ghana international striker Kwesi Appiah insists Saif Rubie, who is the agent of the Black Stars’ head coach, Avram Grant, is not his negotiator.

The Crystal Palace forward was handed a debut call-up by Grant a few weeks after being appointed Ghana's manager.

Appiah’s inclusion in the final 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 raised a lot of eyebrows.

“I know of him [Rubie], yeah, but he’s not my agent,” Appiah told The Guardian. “He’s a well-known character in England, in football, so I know him but it’s up to people if they want to link that – I’m not fussed. People make up stuff to try and bring you down, so you’ve just got to remain strong and you’ll get through it.”

Appiah also revealed his father has been the main reason why he wholeheartedly grabbed the opportunity to represent Ghana on the international stage.

“My dad’s been the biggest influence in my career so it would have been silly not to take that side of things.

“I had a lot of Ghanaian culture in my life while I was growing up, and he’s been very supportive of me throughout so it’s my way of repaying him and my family. I’ve always been a Black Stars fan – you might even have seen pictures on Twitter of me at games supporting them – so to be here now is amazing.”

Appiah has scored once in two games for Ghana at the Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea.