Former Ghana playmaker Mohammed Polo believes Black Stars forward Asamoah Gyan should not be forced to call time on his international career.

Ghana’s most-capped player and all-time top scorer, Gyan remains the most experienced member of the current set-up, having made his debut in 2003.

In recent times, the 34-year-old has been restricted to peripheral roles in the national team, heightening calls for him to call it quits with the Black Stars.

“We don’t retire legends so we should allow him to play,” Polo, who won the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) told Bryt FM.

“Legends decide on their future. I had the same problem during my stint with Hearts of Oak, they wanted to retire me and that is why I joined Great Olympics.

“Hearts of Oak wanted to retire me at all cost but I told them we don’t retire legends. The truth is that legends retire themselves. No one thought him how to play football and so why do you want him out of the team?

“If CK Akonnor will need him in the team, he should invite him and give the general captain to him because he is the captain now.

“In fact, it won’t work for CK if he invites Gyan and put him on the bench because he has a high spirit.’’

Gyan made his first appearance for Ghana in a 2006 World Cup qualifier against Somalia, going on to score the West Africans’ first-ever goal at the global showpiece in Germany.

In 17 years of national service, the former Sunderland striker has featured 109 times for Ghana and scored 51 goals over the period.

“Good name is better than riches and if Gyan will listen to me, he should quit the Black Stars because he is not the Gyan we used to know,” Ghana’s 1965 Afcon winner Osei Kofi told Angel FM.

“I think he should honourably resign from the team to save his name.”

Gyan has not been called up by Ghana since featuring at the 2019 Afcon in Egypt where the Black Stars were disappointingly bundled out of the tournament at the Round of 16 stage.

A ‘general captain’ position held in the team was also scrapped on Sunday, prompting speculation about a near-end to his time with the Black Stars.

Source: Goal.com