You are here: HomeSports2024 02 08Article 1915804

Sports News of Thursday, 8 February 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Prophet reveals how Asamoah Gyan-Dede Ayew's captaincy change became tipping point of Black Stars failure

Asamoah Gyan and Dede Ayew Asamoah Gyan and Dede Ayew

The Founder of House of Power Ministry International, Prophet Francis Kwarteng has revealed how the row over the captain's armband between Asamoah Gyan and Andre Dede Ayew led to the Black Stars' current woes.

Ahead of the 2019 AFCON, coach Kwasi Appiah took the captaincy armband from Asamoah Gyan and handed it to Andre Ayew. A situation which nearly saw Gyan retire bitterly from the national team.

According to Prophet Kwateng, coach Kwasi Appiah created the fracas because he failed to ensure that there was peace and understanding between the two players before proceeding with his decision in 2019.

He said, “You remember when the captaincy was taken from Asamoah Gyan and given to Dede Ayew. So there is so much pain in the team. Asamoah Gyan said he had to endorse Kwesi Appiah before he was made Black Stars coach and the coach visited him in Saudi, so he was shocked the coach never told him about changing captaincy.”

Prior to the change of captaincy, Ghana had reached the semi-finals of the 2017 AFCON placing 4th at the tournament. However, since the change in leadership, the Black Stars have never been able to go beyond the quarter-final stage.

This according to the prophet is the result of Andre Ayew’s rush to become the national team captain.

“Since Dede became captain, have you seen the Black Stars win matches? If you think I am lying let him go to his village to consult the gods and see if there is a lie in what I am saying. Every time we go out at the group stage, he said.

The Black Stars' last two performances at the AFCON [2021,2023] have seen them exit at the group stages.

JNA/EK