A former Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, says Coach Kwesi Appiah’s handling of the unfolding drama involving striker Asamoah Gyan could prove crucial to Ghana’s fortunes at the upcoming African Nations Cup in Egypt and beyond.
He said the Black Stars coach needed to be firm in his conviction and resolute in his decisions in order to maintain a stable team at this critical time.
Gyan, the Captain of the Black Stars since 2013, announced his retirement from the team last Monday ahead of the naming of a provisional squad to begin preparations for the Nations Cup, citing a purported decision to strip him of the captain’s armband.
He has since rescinded his decision and announced his availability for selection following an intervention by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview on Wednesday, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said the chaos surrounding the captaincy of the Black Stars was an unfortunate development that could derail the team’s campaign in Egypt even before the tournament began.
“In the first place, the coach failed to apply tact in the way the captaincy issue and the matters surrounding Asamoah Gyan was handled,” the former GFA capo said.
“Now he needs to employ serious managerial skills to stabilise the team in the wake of the divisive actions that have subsequently happened since Gyan announced his retirement from the national team,” he added.
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe has criticised Gyan on many occasions for his game and attitude, but said the striker’s contribution to the national team over the years could not be overlooked.
“He has been Ghana’s most reliable striker in recent memory, and it was important that the coach treated him with some respect, particularly given the fact that he was the captain of the team,” he said.
For Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, Gyan’s quick return from retirement could eventually prove burdensome on him “because his performances and commitment will be scrutinised harder than before because of his pronouncements on the captaincy issue”.
He said Gyan would now have to patch up with his coaches and teammates and reintegrate himself into the team to ensure harmony.
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