Black Stars head coach Kwesi Appiah says he chose Al Ain striker Asamoah Gyan as his team captain because he is someone he can rely on.

He told Vox Africa that his decision was informed by the unavailability of some other senior players before the 2013 African Nations Cup.

“Gyan is someone I think I can rely on, and I needed to give him more responsibilities. When we were going for the Nations cup we had some players unavailable and Gyan was the most senior and most respected guy at the time. That is why I gave him the captaincy.”

Appiah added that Gyan played his role as captain to perfection during the 2013 African Nations Cup, which informed his decision to hand the armband to the striker on a permanent basis.

“He played his role so well at the AFCON, and my confidence in him rose after the competition. That is why he remains captain to this day.”

Appiah also credited Gyan and the rest of the players for fostering the spirit of unity in the Black Stars, noting that it is a necessary ingredient for success.

“The one good thing about the team is unity. The players are really united and we are all like brothers. I think we have been able to bring everybody together and they understand that they are all there for a purpose. The players deserve the credit for bringing the team together.”