Kwadwo Asamoah says he had to turn down Black Stars coach Avram Grant and GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi over his decision not to play at AFCON 2017.
He opted out of representing Ghana at this year's Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon because he wants to ‘’play as much as possible’’ for Juventus and also help the club achieve success this season.
Asamoah revealed that he had to say no to the pleas of head coach Avram Grant and Kwesi Nyantakyi who begged him to be part of the team tasked to end Ghana’s 35-year wait for the trophy.
Asamoah returned to full fitness a couple of months ago after struggling with knee injury for two years.
His last assignment for the Black Stars was at the 2014 FIFA World Cup where the team performed abysmally and was apparently invited by Grant for the tournament but the midfield dynamo turn down the call due to his desire to claim back his starting position in Juventus team.
“It was hard to give up,” Asamoah admitted in an interview with JTV. “The Coach [Avram Grant] and the President of the Federation [Kwesi Nyantakyi] called me many times, and I told them how much I’d have liked to go. “I’ve had a lot of problems over the last two years though and right now I need to train and play as much as possible. I’m glad, because I wanted to stay here, work, and help the team.”