Former Black Star player Ntow Gyan has explained why he was not part of the team which travelled to Senegal in 1992 for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
The 1992 African Cup of Nations squad included the football legends Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah, Emmanuel Armah, Eddie Ansah, Kwesi Appiah, among others.
Ntow Gyan was considered one of the best midfielders at that time. These players are considered one of the best generations of players Ghana has ever produced.
They won Silver at that tournament, losing 10-11 on penalties to Cote d’Ivoire. An Asante Kotoko great, Ntow Gyan attributed his failure to make the squad for the tournament to complacency and recalcitrance on his side at the Stars’ camp.
Speaking with Frank Osei-Owusu of Onua FM, Gyan further explained that it was because he wanted to braid his hair for the tournament. “That time I had unbraided my hair and wanted to go and fix it in Sunyani,” he said.
“[When] I told coach Burkhard Ziese, he replied I should not go [but] they will bring someone from Accra to do it. I told him no one braids my hair except my wife.
Coach Burkhard Ziese answered that they will bring my wife to do it. I lied to him my wife was a ‘nursing mother’. Finally, he told me I could go and come no more. I never cared and left camp.
“The main reason was that an agent wanted to take me to Cameroon and I wanted to really go. Abukari Damba was the only player I told because he was my roommate. [Though] he advised me to play the tournament after that I leave, I didn’t listen.”
“I couldn’t make the move to Cameroon because I needed an ITC (International Transfer Certificate). I moved to camp, immediately coach Bukhard Ziese saw me, he ordered me to leave, he even slapped Coach Osam Duodu for allowing me to be in camp. Coach Bukhard Ziese told me I have disappointed him because he was building the team around me”.
“I brought people of high repute to plead for me, like some coaches, the late Prof Mills but I was not accepted back into the team.”
Gyan, who now has a CAF License ‘A’ certificate, said he always weep and regret his actions, cautioning young players to listen to advice from their coaches and people in authority.
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