2022 World Cup: Leave Otto Addo to decide on Asamoah Gyan - Afriyie Ankrah
Former Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah
Former Youth and Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has disclosed that Black Stars coach Otto Addo has the final say on the inclusion of Asamoah Gyan in the Ghana squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Read full articleHe explained that fans must not rule out Asamoah Gyan in the Black Stars team based on emotions and sentiments but rather consider his influence on the team.
Elvis Afriyie Ankrah also noted that coach Otto Addo and the Black Stars technical team will have to analyze carefully if Asamoah Gyan is fit and what he will offer to the team.
“It’s entirely up to the coach, he has to assess him, his physical fitness, mental fitness and match fitness because those are different levels. You have to be physically fit, your state of mind and then match fitness which also has to do with the track record watching you in real competitive matches or training sessions to see if you’re still sharp,” he said in an interview with Luv Fm in Kumasi.
“So those are not decisions that I can just sit in my room and say yes or no. Those are decisions that those who are responsible have to do all the analysis and decide based on the facts and evidence, not on sentiments and emotions,” the former Sports Minister said.
According to him, Asamoah Gyan’s inclusion in the team will also depend on the type of formation the coaches want to adopt and if the former Sunderland player will fit in.
“Also based on the team’s strategy, we are going into a World Cup and the technical people will have a strategy as to the kind of formation that they want to use. Whether they want to use an attacking predominant type of team, or midfield predominant because we have a lot of talents at that department of our team or defensive like the so-called one goal project type of thing. So again all these are things that those who are responsible will have to make a firm decision on,” he said.
The former Sports Minister’s comments about Asamoah Gyan come after the player in an interview with BBC Sports expressed his desire to play for Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ghana will make its 4th appearance at the World Cup and would come up against Group D opponents Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
JNA/KPE
