When should Asamoah Gyan retire? – Ex-Ghana goalkeeper Abubakar Damba’s perspective

Former Ghana goalkeeper, Abubakar Damba has admonished the Ghana FA and all stakeholders. of the game not to force Asamoah Gyan into retirement, insisting there should be a dialogue to see the best way to handle it.

Gyan has been out of the Black Stars since he last featured for the side at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations which was held in Egypt.

Prior to the tournament in the North African county, Gyan was stripped off the captaincy by former coach James Kwesi Appiah.

Despite the arrival of a new coach in the person of CK Akonnor, Gyan was excluded from the leadership structure of the senior national team which is likely to cast major doubt on the future of the former Black Stars captain.

Several former players of the Black Stars including Rev. Osei Kofi and coach Frimpong Manso have advised Gyan to retire from the Black Stars.

But the ex-Black Stars goalkeepers trainer, Damba believes it should be done in a way that Gyan will not retire in pain as it happened to other former players.

“It is a personal decision for Asamoah Gyan to make. Undoubtedly, he is someone we have to eulogize him. We have to understand he has played his role at the national and international level, ” Damba told Kumasi-based Hello FM.

“At the highest level, Gyan has always delivered. But we have to understand that there is always a transition. There is always time for everything and I believe we need to retire Asamoah Gyan very honourably.

“That’s why I am saying we need to have a dialogue and a time will come Gyan himself will see that now he has people behind him who can hold the flag of Ghana high so let me give them the opportunity and support them to play.

“Gyan as a footballer has a lot to offer after his retirement. The upcoming ones look up to him and will be a role model for them. We have to understand that we need to build that co-operation and that collaboration between him and the players not.

“Let’s not depict the mistakes we did in the past where some players retired with some sort of pain where people will say it is not worth dying for the national team.

“And Gyan too he is a hero of the land who needs to be eulogized. The transition should be very smooth where Gyan will always visit the Black Stars.

He called on the Ghana Football Association to hold a befitting send-off match for Gyan after a successful dialogue with him.

“It’s a wonderful thing. The testimonial game is good where we can invite the Stephen Appiah’s, Laryea Kingston’s, Osei Kuffour’s and other top players. You put them together and use it to thank them for their services. They will feel very proud and will be willing to be part of the team.

“If we don’t do that Gyan will be done and what will be the legacy that he’ll be leaving behind. That’s what we should be thinking about. So organising a testimonial game is very good because he’s an ambassador for Ghana.

“But then let’s have a dialogue to find out what time are we going to organise that. If we go like this we’ll know how exactly to organise it. I support a testimonial game for Asamoah Gyan because he deserves it.”