Just a day after announcing his retirement from international football, Ghanaian footballer Asamoah Gyan has made himself available for selection again.
Initially set to miss the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt that begins next month, the Kayserispor striker was sure to mention that the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, helped him reverse his decision.
Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah had postponed the naming of the squad a while before Gyan dramatically announced his retirement on May 20. Appiah has therefore not named the squad he will be taking for the African continental tourney.
Gyan, 33, who is famous for missing a penalty at the 2010 FIFA World Cup that would have secured an African team’s first semi-final appearance, shared the message of his return through a statement he shared on his Twitter account.
In the statement, Gyan said that he still has the best interests of the Black Stars at heart and still yearns to lift the AFCON title.
“A presidential request is one that cannot be disregarded,” Gyan wrote in his tweet. “I have had a chance to speak with the father of Nation, the president of the republic… who, though respecting my wishes, has asked me to rescind my decision to retire permanently from the Black Stars.”
The former Sunderland striker added, “My desire to help Ghana end the over three-decade-long wait to annex the AFCON trophy still burns strong and I remain committed to serving this great nation and the people of Ghana.”
A presidential request is one that cannot be disregarded.
I have taken the request of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in good faith, and will make myself available for selection by coach Kwasi Appiah to help win the AFCON trophy @AnimSammy @PrinxRandy @BaffourGyan4 pic.twitter.com/WSlHZrjWrd
— ASAMOAH GYAN (@ASAMOAH_GYAN3) May 22, 2019
Gyan will definitely be a good addition for coach Appiah as he will prove crucial for the Black Stars. The 33-year old is his country’s highest ever goalscorer, netting 51 times.
It is still not yet clear whether Gyan will be selected as the skipper of the team. Being denied the captaincy had been behind his abrupt decision to recuse himself from being available for selection.
Fans reacted differently to the news with some supporting his decision while some thought he should have stayed in retirement to give a chance for young players to develop.
“Thank God Asamoah Gyan is back. Our happiness,” one fan Gideon Okine commented on the striker’s post.
“Please retire. The team can go on without you. The President does not know better than the coach when it comes to football,” another fan Richard Amarh ranted at Gyan.
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