• About Us
  • Privacy Policy
Saturday, July 2, 2022
Citi Sports Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Local Football
  • Ghana Premier League
  • Livescores
  • Sports Panorama
  • Videos
  • AFCON 2021
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Local Football
  • Ghana Premier League
  • Livescores
  • Sports Panorama
  • Videos
  • AFCON 2021
No Result
View All Result
Citi Sports Online
No Result
View All Result

Rita Mensah writes: Asamoah Gyan’s 2019 AFCON – Leadership without the armband

Edwin Kwakofi by Edwin Kwakofi
June 21, 2019
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Whatsapp

The long wait is finally over. The Africa Cup of Nations tournament begins and as a football fan and Ghanaian, my expectation is that Ghana will this time end its 37-year trophy drought and give meaning to the ‘Ghana is a football nation’ accolade.

With Ghana having one of the biggest budgets, if not the biggest, for the tournament, it appears the usual murmuring that characterizes dressing room conversations and attitudes because of player remuneration, will not occur this year.

Having scaled that ‘motivation’ wall, one thing that is crucial to the success of the team is unity and cohesion. The talk about unity brings back the recent issues about the Black Stars’ captaincy and how the transition from team captain to general captain has played out. Indeed, it took the President of the Republic to restore some calm to the situation.

Asamoah Gyan, now the general captain, had to be talked out of retirement. He retired because the coach decided to take the armband from him and give it to Dede Ayew. The two, Gyan and Ayew, have not been the best of friends – though they have tried to downplay the extent of their rivalry.

My focus here is to look at the man Asamoah Gyan, and how relevant he remains to the team whether or not he has the armband.

Nelson Mandela once said, “it is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.”

I grew up at a time where the Black Stars had captured the minds and hearts of Ghanaians and football lovers in general. I remember with clarity itching to close early from school so I could watch Ghana’s final group game against the USA at the 2006 World Cup.

Players like Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah and Asamoah Gyan, in particular, only evoked love when one thought of them back then, and I never thought that feeling would change, but here we are.

Baby Jet, as we have come to know Gyan, is undoubtedly one of the best football players the country has produced.  But over the years, he has become synonymous with both joy and heartbreak; top of the list being his penalty miss against Uruguay at the 2010 World Cup.

Leadership by example
In his illustrious but very controversial football career, the 33-year-old has scored 51 goals in 106 appearances for Ghana, the most by any player in a Black Stars jersey.

Add the fact that he’s the country’s joint top scorer at the AFCON and the highest scoring African at the World Cup and there’s no debating Gyan is your man for the moment; like every good leader, he has stepped up when he has been required to.

The difficulties and controversies surrounding the Black Stars Captaincy has been well documented over the years, and Gyan’s tenure as captain had its fair share. The biggest test of his leadership was perhaps during the 2014 World Cup, when Ghana’s campaign was tainted and marred with the money saga. Although one may argue Gyan could’ve done better in controlling the playing body, credit must be given to him for being able to rise above the off field distractions and make his mark on the pitch. Gyan left the tournament with two goals and an assist to his name.

Captain or General Captain – does it matter?
Let’s get this straight. Head Coach Kwesi Appiah made Gyan captain seven years ago, and has every right to give that honor to a different player if he feels the team needs a change.

His decision obviously hit Gyan hard, causing him to retire, and then rescind his decision days later after President Akufo-Addo’s intervention.

But should it matter who is captain and who is not?

Gyan has earned the respect of each and every player in the Black Stars. His achievements on the pitch are unmatched, and his efforts off it, remarkable.

When he chartered a flight for the whole team after a World Cup qualifier against Congo in 2017, when shambolic travel arrangements left the team stranded, Gyan demonstrated unrivalled magnanimity.
He doesn’t need the captain’s armband to show leadership or make his presence felt. His achievements on and off the pitch have cemented the legacy of his leadership. He has become a symbol of fun and entertainment in the Black Stars camp – a glue that binds the team together and fosters unity. Isn’t that what leaders do?

The Performance of the team at this year’s AFCON is not going to be determined by whether or not he is captain. Ghana has more of an advantage empowering more leaders in the camp.

Rita Mensah

The current situation only takes pressure off Gyan and allows him to focus solely on his game ahead of the competition. With a squad which has a fine blend of youth and experience, Ghana has every chance of ending their 37-year wait for the AFCON title, and with Gyan playing a silent but deadly role behind the scenes I only see this as a win-win situation for the Black Stars.

Source: Rita Mensah
Share367TweetSend
Previous Post

Afcon 2019: Egypt vs Zimbabwe preview

Next Post

AFCON 2019: Black Stars touch down in Egypt

Related Posts

Nora Häuptle nimmt eine neue Herausforderung in der deutschen Bundesliga an
News

Nora Häuptle appointed Black Princesses technical advisor for FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup

July 1, 2022
News

Salah signs new 3-year deal with Liverpool

July 1, 2022
Football

2022 Caf Awards: Senegal’s Mane favourite for POTY as nominees list drops

July 1, 2022
Football

Galaxies, Comets and Damsels: GFA renames some national football teams

July 1, 2022
News

Black Princesses to camp in Europe ahead of U-20 Women’s World Cup

June 30, 2022
Football

2022 CAF Awards: Kamaldeen Sulemana nominated for Young Player of the Year

June 30, 2022
Donkomi

#Donkomi: Tottenham agree £60m deal for Richarlison

June 30, 2022
Donkomi

#Donkomi: Romelu Lukaku joins Inter Milan on season-long loan

June 30, 2022
Load More
Next Post

AFCON 2019: Black Stars touch down in Egypt

Top Stories

Emmanuel Adebayor wins $510k Fifa ruling over ‘unfair sacking’

Otto Addo explains why local players did not play for Black Stars against Madagascar

Watch Mohammed Kudus’ fantastic goal against Central African Republic [VIDEO]

Diamond League: Benjamin Azamati wins 100m race in Paris

RSS Citi Podcasts

  • Eyewitness News, Tuesday, 28th June, 2022 June 28, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • Citi Breakfast Show, Tuesday, 28th June, 2022 June 28, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • Eyewitness News, Monday, 27th June, 2022 June 28, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • Sports Panorama, Friday, 24th June, 2022 June 24, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • Eyewitness News, Friday, 24th June, 2022 June 24, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • Citi Breakfast Show, Friday, 24th June, 2022 June 24, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • The Big Issue, Saturday, 18th June, 2022 June 18, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • Famlife, Saturday, 18th June, 2022 June 18, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • Sports Panorama, Friday, 17th June, 2022 June 18, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
  • Eyewitness News, Friday, 17th June, 2022 June 17, 2022 Citi 97.3 FM
Citi Sports Online

© 2019 Citi Sports Online

  • Home
  • News
  • Football
  • Ghana Premier League
  • Livescores
  • Sports Panorama
  • Videos
  • AFCON 2021

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Local Football
  • Ghana Premier League
  • Livescores
  • Sports Panorama
  • Videos
  • AFCON 2021

© 2019 Citi Sports Online

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Citi Sports Cookie Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT