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'Martin O'Neill is a good manager who can take Sunderland up the table' - Asamoah Gyan speaks of admiration for manager but rules out January return to Stadium of Light
Despite his admiration for the Black Cats boss, the Ghanaian striker says he will not assess his options until the end of the season, as he prepares to launch his own charity
9 Dec 2011 08:27:00
Getty
EXCLUSIVE
By Rob Stewart
Asamoah Gyan has played down suggestions that he will be lured back to the Premier League during the January transfer window from Middle East club Al Ain despite his admiration for new Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill.
The Ghana international is on loan in the United Arab Emirates following a deal with Sunderland struck in September and although he remains coy over his future, he has effectively ruled out a dramatic return to the Stadium of Light next month, despite O'Neill saying this week that he would explore the possibility.
In an exclusive interview with Goal.com as he prepared for the official launch of his charity, The Asamoah Gyan Foundation, the striker said: “For now I can’t really say anything about Sunderland. I am on loan for a year so we will have to see what happens at the end of the season.
“Will I come back to Sunderland at the end of this season? For now I don’t want to talk about my situation because I am currently on loan and I am doing well. So let’s see where my future lies after my loan deal.”
Gyan became Sunderland’s record £13 million signing when he headed to Wearside last year from French side Rennes, and the forward insists he has not ruled out a Premier League comeback in the longer term.
“I miss the Premier League because it is the best league in the world so I have a lot of respect for it. I am not the only player that has left the Premier League but I do miss the Premier League and watch it and the Champions League on television when I can,” Gyan added.
“It is a great league and who knows what will happen in the future. But what I have to say is that I am enjoying my football at the moment. I don’t know, let’s see what happens at the end of my current deal.”
“I know all about Martin O’Neill. I remember him from when he was at Aston Villa and they did very well when he was there,” Gyan said. “He is a good manager and everyone speaks well about him.
“From what I have seen he is a good manager and I sure that he will help Sunderland climb the table. I wish him well and I think that everything will be fine.
“Steve Bruce brought me to Sunderland and the club paid £13m for me and everything was all right. I felt sad that he lost his job but that is part of the job for every manager. And life goes on.
“Managers move around between clubs all the time. I hope he gets a club to manage and I wish him well in whatever he does. He is a good man and a good manager and I am sure we will meet up again one day.”
As the Africa Cup of Nations looms, the 26-year-old former Udinese forward insists that he is looking forward to spearheading his country’s quest for glory.
“I am on top of my game now and I can’t wait to play for Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations which is coming up real soon,” Gyan said
“I don’t want to say that we can win it but most of the big nations are already out so lots of people back home are hopeful that we can go on to win the Africa Cup of Nations, especially as we did well at the last World Cup in South Africa.
"It has been a while since Ghana won it so we just have to do our best and then hopefully – fingers crossed – we can bring the trophy back home with us, which would be unbelievable.
“But all we can do is work hard as a team, give everything we have got and then we shall see what happens.
“I would like to think that I am playing well, which is satisfying, and I am definitely enjoying my football so everything is fine. I am happy. Everything is going well and I am scoring goals.
“The fans are great. We are well supported and there were a few problems last season but now things are going well this season. We have started well and we are still unbeaten. We are improving all the time and from what I have seen everyone is happy now and hopefully things will keep going well."
Gyan has scored five goals in five games for Al Ain, who are five points behind UAE Pro League leaders Al Jazira.
His ruthless streak in front of goal helped him win a place on the shortlist to be World Footballer of the Year following the 2010 World Cup, but his kind-hearted side has prompted him to launch his own charity to help poor children in rural Africa.
“I want to help because I remember from my childhood everything that went on around me and I feel as though now that I am in a good position it is time that I did something valuable for society,” Gyan said.
“When I was young watching the news about the terrible famines in Africa, I always promised that when I grew up I would do my best to help put things right and that is what I am hoping to do now.
“I know that I don’t have a magic wand to change everything but I am determined to make a positive difference. I want to give something back to my community and the time to do it is now.
“Financially, most of the villages in Africa are suffering and they just do not have enough to get by. We are starting in Ghana and then looking at the whole of Africa.”
Initially, Gyan is aiming to make sure there is better access to clean water in rural areas of the continent, and he has appealed for support.
“We are looking at lots of things but the main emphasis will be on providing clean water to villages in poor rural parts of Ghana and then hopefully rolling the work out across villages in Africa,” Gyan continued.
“Far too many people suffer because of the lack of clean water so it will be a big challenge but we want to make things better gradually – bit by bit.
In Ghana millions suffer because of the lack of basic facilities and children there suffer most because there is no money for them to go to school to receive a basic education, so they can't help themselves as well.
“That is a big problem all over Africa and I want to do something about it. We have to help them achieve what they want to achieve. So they can fulfil their potential. We want to help men and women make life better for themselves and their children.
“The charity is very important and I would like to think it could help many communities. But it is not just a one-man job although it is my charity. I want it to make a positive difference but I can’t do it alone.
“I would like individuals, families and companies to get involved and get behind it because it is a good cause and would give them the chance to help people who are less fortunate than themselves.
“I am pleading for people to help because there are so many people out there that need their help.”
Follow Rob Stewart on
By Rob Stewart
Asamoah Gyan has played down suggestions that he will be lured back to the Premier League during the January transfer window from Middle East club Al Ain despite his admiration for new Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill.
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The Ghana international is on loan in the United Arab Emirates following a deal with Sunderland struck in September and although he remains coy over his future, he has effectively ruled out a dramatic return to the Stadium of Light next month, despite O'Neill saying this week that he would explore the possibility.
In an exclusive interview with Goal.com as he prepared for the official launch of his charity, The Asamoah Gyan Foundation, the striker said: “For now I can’t really say anything about Sunderland. I am on loan for a year so we will have to see what happens at the end of the season.
“Will I come back to Sunderland at the end of this season? For now I don’t want to talk about my situation because I am currently on loan and I am doing well. So let’s see where my future lies after my loan deal.”
Gyan became Sunderland’s record £13 million signing when he headed to Wearside last year from French side Rennes, and the forward insists he has not ruled out a Premier League comeback in the longer term.
“I miss the Premier League because it is the best league in the world so I have a lot of respect for it. I am not the only player that has left the Premier League but I do miss the Premier League and watch it and the Champions League on television when I can,” Gyan added.
“It is a great league and who knows what will happen in the future. But what I have to say is that I am enjoying my football at the moment. I don’t know, let’s see what happens at the end of my current deal.”
Goal getter l Gyan has scored five goals in as many games for Al Ain this season
In the shorter term he is certain that struggling Sunderland are in good hands with O’Neill as the club faces a fight against relegation, but expressed sadness over the sacking of Steve Bruce to make way for him.“I know all about Martin O’Neill. I remember him from when he was at Aston Villa and they did very well when he was there,” Gyan said. “He is a good manager and everyone speaks well about him.
“From what I have seen he is a good manager and I sure that he will help Sunderland climb the table. I wish him well and I think that everything will be fine.
“Steve Bruce brought me to Sunderland and the club paid £13m for me and everything was all right. I felt sad that he lost his job but that is part of the job for every manager. And life goes on.
“Managers move around between clubs all the time. I hope he gets a club to manage and I wish him well in whatever he does. He is a good man and a good manager and I am sure we will meet up again one day.”
As the Africa Cup of Nations looms, the 26-year-old former Udinese forward insists that he is looking forward to spearheading his country’s quest for glory.
“I am on top of my game now and I can’t wait to play for Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations which is coming up real soon,” Gyan said
“I don’t want to say that we can win it but most of the big nations are already out so lots of people back home are hopeful that we can go on to win the Africa Cup of Nations, especially as we did well at the last World Cup in South Africa.
African dream l Gyan believes the Black Stars can go into the Cup of Nations with confidence
"It has been a while since Ghana won it so we just have to do our best and then hopefully – fingers crossed – we can bring the trophy back home with us, which would be unbelievable.
“But all we can do is work hard as a team, give everything we have got and then we shall see what happens.
“I would like to think that I am playing well, which is satisfying, and I am definitely enjoying my football so everything is fine. I am happy. Everything is going well and I am scoring goals.
“The fans are great. We are well supported and there were a few problems last season but now things are going well this season. We have started well and we are still unbeaten. We are improving all the time and from what I have seen everyone is happy now and hopefully things will keep going well."
Gyan has scored five goals in five games for Al Ain, who are five points behind UAE Pro League leaders Al Jazira.
His ruthless streak in front of goal helped him win a place on the shortlist to be World Footballer of the Year following the 2010 World Cup, but his kind-hearted side has prompted him to launch his own charity to help poor children in rural Africa.
“I want to help because I remember from my childhood everything that went on around me and I feel as though now that I am in a good position it is time that I did something valuable for society,” Gyan said.
“When I was young watching the news about the terrible famines in Africa, I always promised that when I grew up I would do my best to help put things right and that is what I am hoping to do now.
“I know that I don’t have a magic wand to change everything but I am determined to make a positive difference. I want to give something back to my community and the time to do it is now.
“Financially, most of the villages in Africa are suffering and they just do not have enough to get by. We are starting in Ghana and then looking at the whole of Africa.”
Initially, Gyan is aiming to make sure there is better access to clean water in rural areas of the continent, and he has appealed for support.
“We are looking at lots of things but the main emphasis will be on providing clean water to villages in poor rural parts of Ghana and then hopefully rolling the work out across villages in Africa,” Gyan continued.
“Far too many people suffer because of the lack of clean water so it will be a big challenge but we want to make things better gradually – bit by bit.
 "I want to help because I remember from my childhood everything that went on around me. I feel that now I am in a good position it is time that I did something valuable for society."
|
“That is a big problem all over Africa and I want to do something about it. We have to help them achieve what they want to achieve. So they can fulfil their potential. We want to help men and women make life better for themselves and their children.
“The charity is very important and I would like to think it could help many communities. But it is not just a one-man job although it is my charity. I want it to make a positive difference but I can’t do it alone.
“I would like individuals, families and companies to get involved and get behind it because it is a good cause and would give them the chance to help people who are less fortunate than themselves.
“I am pleading for people to help because there are so many people out there that need their help.”
Follow Rob Stewart on
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| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
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|
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