Gyan rebuffs criticism from fans
dubai — Al Ahli marksman Asamoah Gyan has rebuffed the criticism from a section of the fans by saying that it was unfair and added that he should be judged based on him playing each and every game.
The Ghanian ace, on a seasonlong loan from Chinese club Shanghai SIPG, hasn’t quite been able to replicate the sparkling form that he showed during his four-year trophy-laden spell with Al Ain.
The 31-year-old former Udinese and Sunderland striker unfortunately has been riddled with injuries during a hectic schedule that has also included time away on international duty with Ghana.
Gyan, who scored 95 goals in 83 appearances for Al Ain, has featured into 12 of the 25 fixtures for Al Ahli and has had eight starts. He has made four appearances from the bench and lasted the full 90 minutes, only thrice — his first game in Al Ahli colours against Emirates, last September, against Ittihad Kalba and more recently against Al Sharjah. He was not in the squad for nine matches and also missed three games because of international commitments.
In the 12 matches, Gyan scored five and had one assist. Gyan also featured in five of the six AFC Champions League fixtures and scored one, the goal coming against PFC Lokomotiv, last time out.
Gyan has played 691 minutes in the Arabian Gulf League and 208 minutes in the AFC Champions League. His playing time amounts to 899 minutes this season.
His showing hasn’t gone down too well with the Al Ahli faithful but Gyan said that the denunciation as unjust. “For me, I think a lot of people do not understand the game. That is what I feel, they don’t understand the game,” Gyan said after the game against PFC Lokomotiv, at the Rashid Stadium.
“People don’t feel my situation, they feel about what they see. They feel about themselves, they don’t feel for me — the player. All the season, because I’ve not been consistent. You cannot expect a player to be 100 per cent when he goes on and off, on and off. They know what I can do when I was playing consistently. I am here to prove to everybody I am still who I am, the right moment will come. All I need is consistency. But for me, the people here have not treated me fairly, that is what I can say,” he added.
When asked who had treated him unfairly, he said: “The fans, the people here. That is what I can say. Sometimes I feel disappointed. But I always say that you can judge me when I am playing every game. You cannot judge me when I have injury. They expect me to perform like I used to,” said Gyan.
His loan spell ends this June with the option of another year but Gyan revealed that there were various options. “Now I have a lot of options. I do not want to mention names, but there is a lot on the table. I will decide at the end of the season,” he said. Talking about the game against Lokomotiv, he said: “It is good for us to end the season with such a good performance.,” Gyan said.
james@khaleejtimes.com