Ayew Brothers ready to confirm their preparedness to return to GFA

• Posted on August 21, 2013
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Olympique Marseille duo of Dede and Jordan Ayew have confirmed their preparedness to officially communicate their return to international duties to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in the coming days.

This follows a request by the GFA that it be officially notified in writing by the Ayews of their return after their decision to be excused from national duties generated an intense public debate, requiring the intervention of President John Mahama and Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Though the specific day which the letter is expected to be delivered has not been made known, a close source to the players told the Graphic Sports that it was certain it would be done soon.

The source said the players would definitely fulfill the request by the football governing body, despite an entrenched posture the players assumed earlier.

When the letter is delivered on time, sons of the legendary Abedi Pele could get their first international call-up in more than five months as Coach Kwasi Appiah prepares to name his final squad for the Black Stars last game against Zambia.

The Ayew brothers could play in the Stars, alongside their close pal, Kevin-Prince Boateng, who also has up to tomorrow to declare himself eligible to play for the nation again, according to ghanasoccernet.

Boateng similarly resigned from the senior national team after his impressive debut for Ghana at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but after persuasions from family and friends, the AC Milan enforcer rescinded his decision last month.

Their presence is expected to present Coach Appiah with several midfield options as he attempts to make history as the first Ghanaian coach to qualify the national team to the Mundial.

Meanwhile, GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi, has cleared the air on the intervention by President John Dramani Mahama to get the Ayew Brothers end their international hiatus, insisting the FA had on numerous occasions welcomed the role played by President Mahama and welcome the Marseille duo back to the national team.

However, the FA boss was unequivocal in demanding the players officially notify the FA about their return to make them eligible to play for the team after first writing to the FA about the withdrawal of their services.

In a reply to a letter written by Mr Quarcoo urging the FA to welcome the players back, Mr Nyantakyi thanked the Sports Goodwill Ambassador for his genuine concern about the nattional team and said the FA’s vice-president, Fred Crentsil, Black Stars coach Kwasi Appiah and the association’s Communication’s Director Ibrahim Sannie Daara, had on various local and international media platforms welcomed the players’ decision to make a U-turn on the national team.

“Immediately after the President met the Minister for Youth & Sports, Honourable Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Ghana FA vice-president Mr Fred Crentsil and the Ayew Brothers at the Flagstaff House, Mr. Crentsil granted an interview to TV3 to praise His Excellency’s initiative. The interview, which was widely circulated across the country, also welcomed the two brothers’ decision to return to the Black Stars as the GFA did not even support their initial decision to temporarily quit the national team,” the FA boss said in his reply.

“A day after the meeting at the Flagstaff House, we issued a press statement to hail the move by His Excellency President Mahama and wholeheartedly welcomed the Ayew brothers to the Black Stars.

“Since they wrote to their club Marseille to inform them of their decision to quit the Black Stars in February, the club would not be obliged to release the players when Ghana decides to invite them for international matches if a letter confirming their return is not written.

“Since they have not officially written to notify all the parties involved on their decision to return to the Black Stars, they are still officially ineligible to play for Ghana.

“As the GFA has openly and severally welcomed the return of the Ayews, they must now make themselves available for selection by the Black Stars coaches by officially writing to the GFA and their club about their availability,” Nyantakyi stressed.

Graphic Sports