Ghana football’s popular figure, Asamoah Gyan, called time on his international career at the weekend, aged only 27, bringing an end to a drama-filled career, and still starting the latest controversy around him.

But even before the news settled in with both lovers and supposed detractors of the striker, the Ghana Football Association stated in a statement that it had started discussions with the Al Ain of Saudi Arabia player to make him rescind his decision.

“The GFA is in talks with Mr Gyan to urge him to reconsider his decision,” the three-paragraph statement published on the GFA’s website stated.

The GFA said it had earlier received a letter from the player stating “his decision to take a temporary break from the Black Stars”, indicating that “Gyan is frustrated over the verbal abuse he has received since playing for the country at the 2012 African Cup of Nations” staged in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Indeed, Gyan’s penalty miss in the eighth minute of the semi-final tie against eventual winners Zambia, had put him in the spotlight of public criticism once again, particularly after his miss, also from the spot, on the stroke of full time in Ghana’s quarter-finals match against Uruguay had preceded the Black Stars’ elimination from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

On social networks Twitter and Facebook, the public expressed strong views on the player, some in his favour and others against him, while caricatures of him and re-worded renditions of his hip-life song with Castro were released in the media.

Had Gyan scored against Uruguay at the World Cup in 2010, Ghana would have almost certainly reached the semi-finals as the first from Africa to reach that feat.

Whether compelled by the heat emitting from his penalty miss or a pre-arrangement, the striker who was loaned to Al Ain by England’s Sunderland jetted off to Saudi Arabia straight from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, as Ghana packed off from the tournament after losing to Mali in the third place clash.

He was, however, full of remorse after his second penalty miss brought his countryfolk to the brink of heartbreak.

‘I’d like to apologise to the fans,’ he told Britain-based SkySports in an interview.

‘It’s been very difficult for me. I’d never miss a penalty on purpose.

‘It’s now two of the biggest penalties in my country’s history and it’s difficult to take.

‘I’ve been unlucky. We all miss them. Fans should know it’s not easy. I’m sorry.’

He scored 28 times in 59 matches for the Black Stars, having made his international debut at senior level against Somalia on November 19, 2003 after coming on for Isaac Boakye in the 62nd minute in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier – three days before he turned 18 years.

In 2010, he came second to Samuel Eto’o of Cameroun in the CAF African Footballer of the Year Award although his three goals had helped Ghana to the final of the Nations Cup in Angola and proved key in Ghana’s march to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in South Africa.

That same year, he was adjudged the BBC Africa Footballer of the Year in a poll decided by public vote by text.

Source Modern Ghana

Readers Comments (3)

1. Canslaus Cansie Nolo says:

   February 21, 2012 at 7:07 pm

   Fillin Sowi 4 Ghana.. Gyan and K.P Boateng Gone.

   Reply »
2. Ralph Lefty Junior Boalotswe says:

   February 22, 2012 at 12:44 pm

   football cruelity, after he has done so much for his country that's hw thy repay him…shame!

   Reply »
3. Constance Anima says:

   February 24, 2012 at 4:15 pm

   He is nt gone 4eva,he wil definately cme bac dat he promise d FA’s.

   Reply »