This is the real reason why Asamoah Gyan lost his captaincy position -Kwasi Appiah tells

Ghanaian tactician James Kwasi Appiah has shed light on his decision to transfer the captaincy from Asamoah Gyan to Andre Ayew in 2019.

In an interview with Sienu TV, the former Black Stars coach explained that the change was prompted by Gyan’s diminishing physical strength, making it unlikely for him to start games during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.

Appiah’s decision to entrust the captain’s armband to Andre Ayew was a strategic move aimed at ensuring leadership on the field aligned with the team’s performance goals.

“I knew that his performance could not go to the level I wanted because modern football is not about name and his strength was not that high compared to years back.

“In actual fact, that was the main reason. Looking at the games he had played and personally, I don’t believe I will be the captain and I will be on the bench. The captain should be on the pitch to control things,” Coach Kwesi Appiah said.

The coach went on to reveal that, despite harbouring reservations about Asamoah Gyan’s fitness due to his limited game time in the months leading up to the AFCON, he held firm in his belief that the veteran still possessed valuable contributions.

This conviction led him to include the Ghanaian legend in the squad for the tournament, recognising Gyan’s experience and potential impact, even if not as the team’s captain.

“The reason why I took Gyan to the competition was because Gyan had helped the nation for a period of time and I said if you are not injured, no matter what, I will take you to the tournament and I want you to finish on that note,” Kwesi Appiah shared.