Stephen Appiah believes Gyan can emulate legendary Man United winger Ryan Giggs in playing at the top level for a a few more years.
Team Coordinator of Ghana’s national team, Stephen Appiah, has defended the inclusion of team captain Asamoah Gyan in the latest Black Stars squad.
According to him, the Kayserispor striker can still produce the goods and should therefore not be prematurely retired from the national team.
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Appiah was reacting to claims from certain quarters that Gyan is past his best and did not merit a call-up for Ghana’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Sierra Leone.
The Black Stars captain was one of the surprise inclusions in coach Kwesi Appiah’s 23-man squad, due to his relative inactivity at club level.
The 32-year-old striker is making a return, having not featured for the national team in over a year.
However, Stephen Appiah believes the inclusion of Gyan in the latest Black Stars squad is justified.
According to him, age should not be used to discredit Gyan, while comparing the striker’s situation to that of former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs who played at the top level till age 41.
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“We are here pleading for the fans to come on Thursday and I wouldn’t want to sound controversial but we saw Ryan Giggs playing at the age of 41 but he was still the best,” Appiah said in an interview with Angel FM.
Gyan is currently Ghana’s all-time top-scorer, having netted an impressive 51 goals in 106 international games.