No shaky: Gyan concedes he must take penalties again


Asamoah Gyan is re-thinking his decision never to take penalty kicks for Ghana again, over three years since he took the last one for the Black Stars.

Previously Ghana’s first choice spot kick taker, Gyan swore never to take up the task for the Black Stars again in the wake of verbal abuses he received on the back of two crucial misses for the national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as well as the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Gabon / Equatorial Guinea.

Having been coerced by Ghanaian football chiefs to return from a self-imposed international exile after the 2012 AFCON debacle, Gyan soon made the vow not to take penalties as a show of respect to his then freshly deceased mother who had requested so from his son.

Two heartbreaking penalty shootout defeats have since cost Ghana the ultimate at both the 2013 and of course 2015 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments he led the Black Stars to with the captain shirking responsibility on both occasions.

The most blatant one was the recent one in the final in Equatorial Guinea when Coach Avram Grant pulled out Gyan in the very last minute of extra time as the shootout loomed against eventual winners, Ivory Coast.

Many have criticised the decision including Black Stars Management Committee Chairman, George Afriyie who publicly stated that Gyan must be convinced to rescind the decision and now the player has responded himself.

‘There is no problem with me taking penalty kicks. However, it must be acknowledged also that the decision was not taken in a vacuum. With what I have experienced in the past, I don’t need to rush back,” Gyan told Graphic Sports.

“As a striker and captain of the team, I will do all I can, to help the team succeed so, whatever decision I take with regards to this particular issue will be in the interest of the national team and not a personal one,’ the Al Ain striker added. Follow @thedonplato

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