Former Ghana forward Prince Tagoe believes ex-international teammate Asamoah Gyan was unfairly treated by Asante Kotoko fans during Saturday's Ghana Premier League match between the club and the striker's Legon Cities side.

The 35-year-old former Sunderland and Udinese ace was booed by the Porcupine Warriors during his 75th-minute introduction into the fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The match ended 1-0 in favour of Kotoko, the decisive goal coming from Emmanuel Gyamfi in the 13th minute.

“I think what happened to Gyan tells us the kind of country we are living in. Ghanaians fancy the downfall of people instead of lifting them," former TSH Hoffenheim frontman Tagoe, who played together with Gyan at the 2010 World Cup, told Angel TV.

"I didn’t expect such a thing to happen, what happened was disgusting because he is here to help raise the standard of the Ghana Premier League.

“His presence in the league is a plus because the young ones are learning a lot from him.

"We have a lot of players who are willing to return to the GPL but what is preventing them from coming, it is because of something like this."

The reason why Gyan was booed remains unclear.

While some have attributed the hostility to the striker's last-minute decision to swerve Kotoko to instead sign for Legon on his return to the GPL last october, others believe the act was a move to unsettle the forward on his introduction into the game, as Kotoko needed to protect their lead.

“Gyan has not taken money from anyone [for which he should be booed for joining a different club]," Tagoe added.

"Although he had an intention to play for Kotoko but if one reason or the other he is unable to join them, it doesn’t mean they should boo him because it might be that Kotoko were unable to meet his demands.

“I think it is unnecessary because Gyan has made his name in the game so we should be proud of what we have. I will not be surprised if Asamoah quits the GPL. I think it was a childish act from the fans.”

Gyan has not taken the treatment lying down, having hit back at the Kotoko fans and called them "hypocrites" and stressing that "there is only one Asamoah Gyan".

The Black Stars attacker is Ghana's all-time top scorer and the most capped player, having scored 51 goals in 109 outings.