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Black Stars: Kwesi Appiah never consulted technical team before stripping off Asamoah Gyan's captaincy - Tanko reveals

Football News Ibrahim Tanko and Kwesi Appiah
APR 23, 2021 LISTEN
Ibrahim Tanko and Kwesi Appiah

Ibrahim Tanko, a former assistant coach of the Black Stars has disclosed that former Ghana coach Kwasi Appiah, single-handedly stripped off Asamoah Gyan's Black Stars captaincy prior to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations [Afcon]in Egypt.

Gyan, who is the country's all-time goalscorer lost his captaincy ahead of the 32nd edition of Africa's prestigious tournament in Cairo.

He was axed as the substantive captain of the side even though he was named in the squad for the competition.

This prompted the strikers to announce his retirement from the national team before the country President Nana Akufo Addo intervened to get him to reverse the decision.

Many thought stripping Gyan off the captaincy was a collective decision by the technical team but Tanko who deputized Appiah at the Black Stars thinks otherwise.

The former assistant coach of Cameroon claims no one knew what influenced the decision.

Speaking to JoySports, he said, “I don’t know what happened before the tournament, honestly.

“It was his [Kwasi Appiah] decision. I don’t know what happened that took the captain from him [Asamoah Gyan] because no one within the technical team except Kwasi Appiah knew the reason why,” Tanko said.

“When we went to the tournament, you could see that there’s not too much involvement of him because of what happened before the tournament.

“He decided not to go before the President [Nana Addo] intervened on his behalf and we took him there. So, as to whether it was right or wrong, I can’t tell but we went with him and that resulted in us having the worst AFCON in long time,” he reckoned.

According to him, the happenings before the tournament affected the team’s performance and is hopeful lessons have been learnt.

“…because of what happened before we even left, there was no unity, but I am sure we have learnt our lessons so going forward we will do things better.”

He said a conversation on the future of Gyan at the national team should have been done aftermath of the AFCON 2019 tournament.

“I am sure this is how it is supposed to be because when you qualify for a tournament, you need all the players and the nation behind you.

“Of course, Gyan has a lot of people who admire him, he has a lot of fan base, so when these things happen, you have divided the country and this was what happened before we went for the tournament, it doesn’t help us,” he opined.

Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah
Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah

Sports JournalistPage: SamuelEkowAmoasiAppiah

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