Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan says he will not be forced by recent criticism of his age and form to retire from national duty.
The Kayserispor striker, who turns 33 next month, was a big focus of discussions following his inclusion in coach James Kwesi Appiah’s 23-man squad for October’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sierra Leone.
The talks stemmed from the fact that the forward has only managed three games for his club so far this season, in addition to having last played for the Black Stars in September last year due to a combination of injuries and loss of form.
“It’s only injuries that can make me retire from football and not age,” Gyan said on Zylofon Sports.
“I only need to be consistent without injuries and I’ll be back to my form.
“Call-ups are solely the preserve of the Black Stars coach.
“He decides who to call at a particular time and who not to call.
“This is the time Ghanaians need to come together to achieve a common goal,” he added.
“My main focus as captain of the national team is to win the Afcon. It’s been my dream since I joined the national team. I’ve been to two finals and several semifinals.”
The Sierra Leone double-header, however, did not come off as scheduled due to a Fifa ban on the Leone Stars’ football association.
Gyan, Ghana’s most-capped player and all-time top scorer, has 51 goals in 106 internationals.
Source : Goal
