By Patrick Akoto
Celebrated ex-Ghana coach Sam Arday fears injuries could lead to the premature retirement of star striker Asamoah Gyan, revealing that could prove disastrous for the national team.
The 29-year-old is regarded as the finest Ghanaian striker with an enviable goal scoring record at both club and international levels.
The iconic Black Stars captain is the all-time leading scorer for Ghana with 48 goals in 93 appearances and currently Africa’s all-time leading scorer at the World Cup, surpassing the record held by Cameroonian legend Roger Milla.
Gyan, who plays for Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG, is a cult figure at Al Ain having raked in an astonishing 95 goals in three seasons at the United Arab Emirates side.
But recent hamstring injuries have limited the Ghana super star of his scoring prowess amid fears it could affect his international performance.
The West Africans have struggled to find a replacement for the former Sunderland hitman with Jordan Ayew, David Accam, Majeed Waris, Ebenezer Assifuah and Kwesi Appiah amongst others failing to prove themselves as dependable attackers.
The experienced Ghana captain has admitted he’s getting increasingly frustrated with his persistent injuries and former Ghana Under-17 World Cup winning coach Sam Arday fears Gyan’s potential absence could prove calamitous for the Africans.
“Assifuah, Bernard Mensah are all springing up. So, we have to focus on development of players so we can have find replacements,†he told Accra-based Asempa FM
"But I think we have to pray for Asamoah Gyan can continue to play for a few more years.
“Because the injuries are not helping and it could force him to call it quit. If that happens, I think we’ll be in trouble.â€
Gyan’s insatiable thirst for goals has transcended critics after becoming a huge success since he joined Al Ain in 2011 from English Premier League side Sunderland, initially on loan.
He made the move permanent the following summer after scoring 22 goals to finish as the league’s top scorer, a haul that helped Al Ain secure a first UAE championship in eight years.
Gyan twice captured the Golden Boot and emerged the top scorer in the Asian’s Champions League last year.
He won three league titles and one President’s Cup crown with the Garden City club and although his year was least productive due to the setback, he scored 13 goals in 17 league matches.
The former Accra Academy starlet could only manage four goals in 10 appearances for Chinese side Shanghai SIPG due to the hamstring problem.
He is expected to lead his country’s attack ahead of the 2018 World Cup double-header against Comoros this month after sitting out in the last two international games against Rwanda and Canada.