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Asamoah Gyan

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Asamoah Gyan
Personal information
Full name Asamoah Gyan
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Sunderland
Number 33
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003 Liberty Professionals 16 (10)
2003–2008 Udinese 39 (11)
2004–2006 → Modena (loan) 53 (15)
2008–2010 Rennes 48 (14)
2010– Sunderland 4 (1)
International career‡
2003– Ghana 44 (22)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 August 2010 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:27, 28 January 2010 (UTC)

Asamoah Gyan (pronounced /dʒɑːn/; born 22 November 1985 in Accra) is a Ghanaian international footballer who plays as a striker for Sunderland in the English Premier League. He attended high school at Accra Academy where he played in the school's football team.

Club career

Having signed for Udinese in 2003 from Ghanaian club Liberty Professionals, Gyan then spent two-years on loan at Serie B club Modena to gain match experience. Following some excellent displays during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he attracted interest from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. Gyan returned to Udinese at the start of 2006, but on 17 February 2007, Udinese pulled out of a deal to sell him in the January transfer window. The then 21-year-old striker was on the verge of signing a 3-year deal with Russian Club Lokomotiv Moscow for US$10.5m, the fourth largest transfer fee in Russian football history. "The striker Udinese targeted to replace me did not sign for them," Gyan told BBC Sport. "I've been told I will now have to stay in Italy for the rest of the season."[1]

On 10 August 2006, along with Fabio Quagliarella, Gyan signed an improved 5-year contract extension to stay at Udinese until 30 June 2012 as a reward for his fine form[2] in the 2007–08 pre-season.[3] "I have decided to stay here because it is one of the top leagues in the world," Asamoah said, "There is the possibility of me playing regular football here to make me a better player. "I am comfortable with the new deal and I know I can help Udinese achieve great things for the future".[4] Asamoah and Quagliarella marked their contract extensions with a brace each in Udinese’s 7–0 friendly win later that evening.[5]

Gyan was also linked with moves to Manchester United, Arsenal and A.C. Milan by the Italian media[6] on 29 July 2007 following his impressive pre-season form, including a hat-trick[7] in a friendly against Serie B outfit Spezia on 25 July, before Udinese sealed the long term deal.[8][9] Gyan scored 10 goals in 2006–07 to help the Stadio Friuli Club to finish in 10th place in Serie A.

However, Gyan was dogged by injury during the 2007–08 Season and never appeared for Udinese again after January 2008, having played only 13 Serie A matches and scored 4 times that season. On 11 July 2008, Asamoah was signed by French Ligue 1 Club Stade Rennais for 4 years on an €8 million transfer fee.[10][11]


Sunderland

On 31 August 2010, Gyan was signed by Sunderland on a four-year deal from Rennes for a fee in excess of £13 million, breaking the club's previous transfer fee record, which was paid to Spurs for striker Darren Bent. [12] Gyan was later given the number 33 shirt at Sunderland. He scored on his Sunderland debut having come on as a substitute against Wigan Athletic on 11 September 2010. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.[13] On his first start he scored Sunderland's only goal in their Carling Cup exit at the hands of West Ham United.

International career

In November 2004 Gyan scored his first international goal at the age of seventeen against Somalia making him the youngest ever player to score for Ghana. He also scored the fastest goal of the 2006 FIFA World Cup after 68 seconds. The strike was also Ghana's first ever goal in a World Cup final, coming in the World Cup game against the Czech Republic on 17 June 2006 at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne, Germany, which set the Black Stars on their way to a thrilling 2–0 victory. He missed a penalty later in the game, and received a yellow card ruling him out of the final group game for trying to take the penalty too early. In Ghana's defeat[14] to Brazil in the Round of 16, he was sent off in the 81st minute after collecting his second booking of the match (for diving).

He was part of the 2004 Ghana Olympic football squad, who exited won at in the first round, having finished in third place in Group B after Ghana was tied on 4 points, 0 goal difference and 2–2 Head-to-Head with eventual bronze medalists Italy. Ghana had scored 4 and conceded 4.

Gyan scored on his senior International debut[15] for Ghana against Somalia on 19 November 2003 in the 90th minute, after coming on for Isaac Boakye in the 62nd minute in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier, 3 days before he turned 18 years; helping Ghana to win that game. He went on to score four times in seven matches during that successful World Cup qualifying campaign. He has scored 22 times in 44 appearances for Ghana.

On January 24, 2008 during the 2008 African Cup of Nations Gyan and his brother Baffour decided to walk out on the Black Stars following criticism after their unconvincing 1–0 win[16] over Namibia. The media learnt the brothers had packed their bags and were ready to leave the team hotel but were persuaded to stay by team-mates.[17] In the 2010 African Cup of Nations, Asamoah Gyan helped a Ghana team, ravaged by injuries to the finals. Gyan scored three out of the four Ghana goals during the tournament.

Gyan scored with a penalty in the 85th minute of Ghana's first match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup against Serbia, which proved to be the deciding goal in a 1–0 win. He went on to hit the post in the 92nd minute before being substituted to a standing ovation just before the final whistle.[18] In Ghana's second game, he scored a penalty in the 26th minute to level the scores and earn his team a 1–1 draw against Australia.[19]

In the round of 16 match against the USA, he scored a goal in extra time allowing Ghana to win by a score of 2 to 1 and hence become the third African team in history to qualify to the tournament's quarter final, after Cameroon and Senegal.[20] In the quarter final tie against Uruguay, he missed a penalty kick with no time remaining at end of extra time, hitting the crossbar and necessitating a penalty shootout to decide the game. He converted his penalty in the subsequent penalty shootout, but Uruguay went on to win the shootout 4-2.[21]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 19 November 2003 Ohene Djan Stadium, Ghana  Somalia
2–0
2–0
 2006 FIFA World Cup qual.
2. 25 June 2004 Maputo, Mozambique  Mozambique
1–0
1–0
 Friendly
3. 3 July 2004 National Stadium, Uganda  Uganda
1–1
1–1
 2006 FIFA World Cup qual.
4. 27 March 2005 Stade des Martyrs, Democratic Republic of the Congo  DR Congo
1–0
1–1
 2006 FIFA World Cup qual.
5. 8 October 2005 Estádio da Várzea, Cape Verde Islands  Cape Verde
3–0
4–0
 2006 FIFA World Cup qual.
6. 14 November 2005 King Fahd International Stadium, Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia
2–1
3–1
 Friendly
7.
3–1
8. 4 June 2006 Easter Road Stadium, Scotland  South Korea
1–0
3–1
 Friendly
9. 17 June 2006 RheinEnergieStadion, Germany  Czech Republic
1–0
2–0
 2006 FIFA World Cup
10. 8 October 2006 Seoul World Cup Stadium, South Korea  South Korea
1–0
3–1
 Friendly
11.
3–1
12. 21 August 2007 London, England  Senegal
1–0
1–1
 Friendly
13. 20 January 2008 Ohene Djan Stadium, Ghana  Guinea
1–0
2–1
 2008 Africa Cup of Nations
14. 9 September 2009 Stadion Galgenwaard, Netherlands  Japan
1–0
3–4
 Friendly
15.
2–0
16. 15 January 2010 Estádio Nacional do Chiazi, Angola  Ivory Coast
1–3
1–3
 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
17. 24 January 2010 Estádio 11 de Novembro, Angola  Angola
1–0
1–0
 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
18. 28 January 2010 Estádio 11 de Novembro, Angola  Nigeria
1–0
1–0
 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
19. 1 June 2010 De Kuip, Netherlands  Netherlands
1–2
1–4
 Friendly
20. 13 June 2010 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, South Africa  Serbia
1–0
1–0
 2010 FIFA World Cup
21. 19 June 2010 Royal Bafokeng Stadium, South Africa  Australia
1–1
1–1
 2010 FIFA World Cup
22. 26 June 2010 Royal Bafokeng Stadium, South Africa  United States
2–1
2–1
 2010 FIFA World Cup
Correct as of 22 July 2010

Personal life

His brother, Baffour Gyan, currently plays in Ghana for Asante Kotoko.

In summer 2010, Gyan recorded and released a Ghanaian Hiplife song with Castro The Destroyer, where he features under the alias 'Baby Jet'. The song is entitled 'African Girls'. The video shows his dance celebration which he demonstrated at the FIFA World Cup 2010.

Titles and Honours

Ghana


Individual


References

  1. ^ "Gyan's Lokomotiv move hits snag". BBC Sport. 2007-02-17. Retrieved 2007-02-17.
  2. ^ Coventry City FC, official website Gyan's performance in a match against Coventry City Football Club.
  3. ^ "Asamoah signs Friuli deal". Channel4. 2007-08-10. Archived from the original on August 11, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  4. ^ "Asamoah extends Udinese stay". BBC Sport. 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  5. ^ "Asamoah celebrates". Channel4. 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2007-08-10. [dead link]
  6. ^ "Buon pareggio dell'Udinese con il Monaco". Erlupacchiotto.com. 2007-07-29. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
  7. ^ "Udinese hit back". Channel4. 2007-07-25. Retrieved 2007-07-25. [dead link]
  8. ^ "Udinese strike-pair linked with AC Milan". TribalFootball. 2007-07-29. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
  9. ^ "CALCIO, UDINESE: IN QUATTRO RINNOVANO FINO AL 2012". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2007-10-12. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  10. ^ "Rennes : Asamoah Gyan signe 4 ans". Football365.fr. 2008-07-11. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  11. ^ "Udinese: Asamoah al Rennes per 8 milioni". iltempo. 2008-07-11. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  12. ^ "Asamoah Gyan joins Sunderland for record £13m fee". BBC Sport. 2010-08-31. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  13. ^ "Wigan 1 - 1 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  14. ^ Brodkin, Jon (2006-06-27). "Ronaldo tops the charts as rocky Brazil roll on". London: Guardian UK. Retrieved 2006-06-27.
  15. ^ "Ghana 5 Somalia 0". Ghanaweb. 2003-11-16. Retrieved 2003-11-16.
  16. ^ "Ghana 1–0 Namibia". BBC Sport. 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  17. ^ "Gyan family suffer death threats". BBC Sport. 2008-01-29. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  18. ^ Serbia 0-1 Ghana, BBC Sport
  19. ^ "Ghana 1-1 Australia". BBC Sport. 2010-06-19. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  20. ^ "USA 1-2 Ghana (aet)". BBC Sport. 2010-06-26. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
  21. ^ "Uruguay 1-1 Ghana (4-2 pens)". BBC Sport. 2010-07-02. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
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