Gyan who has been inconsistent in the greater part of the year due injuries has given Ghanaian some hope after he returned from injury and managed to score three goals in two games to save his Turkish side Kayserispor from suffering relegation.
He was tipped to be in Coach Kwesi Appiah’s final 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations and use his experience especially as a super-sub for the team.
However, he has shockingly announced his retirement from national team football has hinted that the issue of captaincy compelled him to take that decision.
A portion of the statement read:'' If the decision of the coach is to give captaincy of the tournament to another player while I am named in the team for the tournament, I wish to rescue myself from the tournament.
''I also wish to retire from the national team permanently, not pretending my presence would not fuel the purported undermining the country has seen under my captaincy.''
''I would continue to serve the country Ghana in other endeavours as a businessman through various investments.''
It is understood Asamoah Gyan was told that Andre Ayew will be the captain of the team, while he will assumes the position of a general captain, something that didn't go down well with him.
There have been several reports over the years that there is a power struggle between Asamoah Gyan and his deputy skipper Andre Ayew.
Both parties have publicly denied any captaincy struggle, but the latest development in a way confirms that the rumours have some iota of truth in them
The technical handlers have to shrewd on how to handle this issue as this could cause disunity in the team.
The Kayserispor striker has been part of every AFCON since 2008 on home soil and has captained the Black Stars at three different competitions (2013, 2015 and 2017).
Below is the full statement of Asamoah Gyan:
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