Sports
Time for Gyan to bow out?
Sometimes, one gets the sense that the entire nation is just patiently waiting for the day Ghana’s legend Asamoah Gyan will bid a final adieu to football – and then get the tumultuous celebration that he so much deserves.
Indeed, Ghanaians have been waiting for that day, but it seems that moment would not come anytime soon – maybe.
From all indications, the ‘Baby Jet’ would have loved to entertain the world once more with the dexterity and skill that glorified his heyday: pace, power, control and finishing.
But that magnificent dream has been hampered by injuries to one of the nation’s most gifted players ever to trade his talent on the lush fields across the world.
It is the reason Gyan has not been able to glow with Legon Cities, a local premier league club he joined worth more than US$1million.
The lucrative deal – struck in November 2020, runs for four years and is by far a towering record in Ghana’s local league scene.
The Baby Jet zoomed into the domestic premiership for the first time in 17 years when he played for now-struggling Liberty Professionals.
Glaringly, many fans have been expecting a lot from the 35-year-old since strapping his mast to the Cities. Worryingly, it appears it is the case of the ‘soul is willing, but the body is weak’ for Gyan.
If you accost the fans in the street, they would waste no time in telling you to advise the former Black Stars’ skipper to hang his boots.
They think he has seen his best and has nothing much to offer.
“For me, Asamoah Gyan is a phenomenal player who has done so much for Ghana. But I think it’s high time he called time on football and rather take on a coaching job,” a 43-year-old football fanatic, who identified himself as Samuel Boadu, told this writer last week.
Boadu, perhaps, may have captured the minds of many.
It is not too clear whether it was one of the reasons Gyan was booed by a section of the Asante Kotoko fans when he came on as a second half substitute in the Cities 0-1 loss at the Accra Sports Stadium last Saturday night.
But Gyan did not take kindly to that antipathetic reaction, and in a post match interview, he reminded the fans about who “Gyan is.”
“There is only one Asamoah Gyan and they (fans) know it. They should even be grateful that I am playing in the Ghana Premier League,” Gyan, who has also been heavily criticised for putting on weight, said in response to the booing incident.
Of course, the Kotoko fan reaction could have emanated from a blazing disappointment over Gyan’s failure to sign for the club last year.
Gyan, a childhood fan of Kotoko, said he did not join Cities for monetary reasons.
“It is not about money. As a footballer, when you are going to a team, there is a lot that should favour you like environment. When it comes to money I’m blessed. I think Legon Cities have got a better project. They have got a lot of things to do in the future and I had to evaluate all.”
Maybe, after evaluating his present contribution to Cities (having played in only five matches or so), Gyan could sincerely be contemplating retiring from the sport that has given him global fame.
He has been a terrific player who has given absolutely all for Ghana.
Do not forget, the Baby Jet is Ghana’s record goal-poacher with 51 in 105 appearances and Africa’s leading World Cup scorer with six goals – three of which came at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
In spite of his missed penalty against Uruguay that would have earned Africa a first-ever semifinal berth at the World Cup, Gyan will be remembered for the good he did rather than the odd negative moment – if he finally decides to bid adieu to football.
Indeed, hundreds have forgotten that bewitching equaliser he scored against England in that earth-shattering London friendly against Ghana that ended 1-1 at the Wembley on Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
Just when England looked to have secured a good victory through Andy Carroll, Gyan spectacularly pulled the dagger in the dying moments of the game – one of the most fascinating goals in living memory.
With a fleet of foot, Gyan dragged Joe Lescott out of position, turned and dribbled back into the space before sexily curling a shot past goalkeeper Joe Hart. It was a goal of class – that can only be manufactured by a legend!
A big legend, he is. But maybe, time to bow out! And, he would be massively celebrated!
CAPTION:
Gyan – Paid his dues to the game
The Tarkwa and Aboso enclave of the Western Region will come alive tomorrow as league leaders, Medeama SC, welcome Kpando Heart of Lions to the TnA Stadium for their final home game of the Ghana Premier League.
This penultimate fixture of the season could see Medeama clinch the league title, provided they secure a victory and second-place Bibiani Gold Stars lose their match.
To celebrate the occasion, Medeama SC management has engaged the Ghanaian musical duo, DopeNation, famed for their current global hit ‘Kakalika,’ to entertain fans.
Medeama posted a 1-0 victory over the visitors in their first-round fixture. If that result is anything to go by, then crowning the Tarkwa lads as champions may not be far-fetched.
At the Tuba Astro Turf, defending champions, Gold Stars, must pick up all three points against Dreams FC if they aim to keep the challenge on Medeama.
Tenth-placed Bechem United FC will look to push further up the ladder by taking all three points when they host record league winners, Asante Kotoko, at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park.
Bechem United is not mathematically safe from the drop, as a defeat could push them back into the relegation mix.
Meanwhile, Hearts of Oak SC will travel to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi to face the might of Samartex FC.
After a 3-0 home victory over Karela United last week, Vision FC will trek to the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese to face Nations FC in a high-stakes battle to avoid relegation.
In other matches, the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium will come alive as Karela United hosts Swedru All Blacks FC. The latter needs at least a point, to bolster their survival bid.
Aduana FC will welcome Wenchi-based Young Apostles FC to the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park in Dormaa in a fixture expected to be full of fireworks.
Finally, the already-relegated Eleven Wonders remain at the Swedru Stadium to welcome Berekum Chelsea FC.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
Wednesday (May 13) was a memorable day for fans of Division One League (DOL) side, Debibi United.
The club made history on that fateful afternoon as they registered a 3-1 win over Tamale City in the Access Bank Division One League playoff final to secure promotion to the Ghana Premier League for the first time.
Words alone cannot describe the emotional sights and scenes at the Accra Sports Stadium after the final whistle.
But those emotional scenes were understandable as they conceded the first goal of the game and were pinned to their half of the field for greater spells by a determined Tamale City side that also aimed a return to the elite stage of Ghana football, which they have tasted once.
But without that experience, Debibi showed character and refused to be suppressed and bullied by the Tamale lads.
They produced a stunning turnaround led by striker Kwadwo Antwi who delivered a match-winning performance by scoring a hat-trick to complete the 3-1 comeback victory.
Debibi United joined as the third club to have officially secured promotion from the Access Bank Division One League to the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League after winning their respective zones.
The two others were Port City and FC AshantiGold 04.
Port City emerged victors from Zone Three where they showed character against some very tough opponents including former Premier League sides, Accra Great Olympics, Okwahu United and a few others.
FC AshantiGold 04 topped Zone Two to book their place in the top flight.
But due to peculiar challenges in Zone One, the group has been divided into two with the respective winners facing each other in a play-off final to determine which side snatches the sole ticket for qualification.
Without doubt, the three clubs have done extremely well by qualifying from a stage of Ghana football which is often described as the wilderness of Ghana football.
It should surely be a reward for their hard work and not as a result of some of the funny stories about club collusions and maneuvers.
Although the DOL has undergone a lot of transformations to make it very competitive, the ‘wilderness of Ghana football’ tag is still associated with it as reports about poor officiating leading to questionable calls still fly around.
With little or no evidence to substantiate some of these, one has no reason to doubt their quality and readiness for life at the elite stage of Ghana football.
However, there is a trend in the past few years where clubs that gain promotion freshly suffer the fate of going back in the next season.
That trend is one that must influence their preparation for the GPL to avoid that path of history.
Thirty-four weeks of competition is no joke and the expectation and demands differ from what they are used to in DOL. Survival would mean consistency with results and ability to face the challenges that comes with life at the top.
By Andrew Nortey
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