Felt betrayed when Kwasi Appiah made Dede Ayew Black Stars captain – Asamoah Gyan

The veteran forward reflects on the situation surrounding his removal from office as leader of the Black Stars ahead of Afcon 2019.

Former Ghana skipper Asamoah Gyan has revealed he felt “betrayed” on losing the armband to Andre Ayew ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

About six months prior to the continental showpiece in Egypt, Ghana were caught in controversy as the leadership of the Black Stars was switched by then head coach James Kwasi Appiah, forcing the displeased Gyan to prematurely call time on his international career.

The veteran striker, however, rescinded his decision in time to join the team for the tournament, where the Stars exited in the Round of 16.

“I felt betrayed when the captaincy was taken from me because the people who know what actually ensued will tell you that they know that I was betrayed; that’s all I can say,” Gyan, currently unattached, told Asaase FM.

Following their qualification for the World Cup in Qatar later this year, Ghana have been linked with a series of players, mostly based abroad, who could be included for the trip for the November 21-December 18 gathering.

Gyan has, however, admonished the current officials of the Black Stars to be cautious on new additions to the team.

“It happened to my brother [Baffour Gyan]. In 2006 [when Ghana qualified for the World Cup for the first time], he played 90 per cent of the qualifiers and then they brought strikers who had never tasted one game [for the tournament in Germany]. He was on the standby [list],” said the 36-year-old.

“That was when my brother gave up on football. He doesn’t follow football, he doesn’t watch it, he doesn’t like it, he’s purely a businessman. Sometimes people have to be treated fairly.

“No player would like to be [left out], especially having played all the games. When these players come, they don’t even play one game. They just sit on the bench, get their bonuses and go, they don’t compete.

“If they bring these players, they have to show us something, they have to prove to people that they deserve to get into the team, that’s all I want. We all want the national team to be better.”

Gyan, who last featured for Ghana at the 2019 Afcon finals, is the Black Stars’ all-time top scorer and most-capped player.