Former Ghana international Mohammed Gargo claims incessant critcisms by soccer fans forced Stephen Appiah to pull-out of the Black Stars joint 2010 Nations Cup/World Cup qualifier against Mali on 7 June.

The 28-year-old's match fitness has been constantly debated as he is yet to get a club since terminating his contract with Turkish giants Fenerbahce in June last year.

Appiah announced his withdrawal from the 32-man squad citing family crisis in Italy on his personal website.

Gargo mentored the Black Stars captained when he moved to his first club abroad, Udinese, in 1997 at the age of 15.

He claims his personal friend's reason to pull-out goes beyond family commitments.

" For me that is not the main issue here. I have been there before so I know what I am talking about. Probably he is also tired hearing the comments of our own football lovers in this country," Gargo told an Accra-based radio station.

" Football is such that when people don't like you, they try to paint you black no matter how good you are.

" So probably he's tired and he just wants to take a break and see what is going to happen. I will personally not plead with him but ask him to rethink his decision," he added.

" I think they need him even his advice. If he's always on the bench I will like it. The public will have to sympathize with him." soccernet