Dede (L) and Gyan (R) are former captains of the Black Stars
Former Black Stars midfielder Afriyie Acquah has offered a rare insight into the much-debated leadership styles of Asamoah Gyan and Andre Dede Ayew, insisting that the two iconic captains were virtually identical in how they led the national team.
Acquah, who featured at the 2014 World Cup and the 2015, 2017, and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, worked under both captains during his eight-year stay with the Black Stars.
Between 2014 and 2017, Gyan served as captain, with Dede as his assistant. In 2019, the hierarchy changed: Gyan became General Captain, while Ayew was promoted to substantive captain, a switch many fans believed created tensions and divided loyalties within the squad.
But speaking on Aluta FM, the former Torino midfielder dismissed suggestions that the two leaders brought different philosophies that split the camp.
When asked to choose which of the two he preferred as a captain, Acquah emphasised that both were equally effective.
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“Both are good because when Asamoah was captain, Dede was the assistant, and during my eight years with the team, I was with them throughout. I can’t say who was better. They were on par when it came to leadership,” he said.
Acquah went on to explain that neither Gyan nor Ayew acted as an authoritarian figure in decision-making.
According to him, leadership in the Black Stars was a collective process involving several senior players.
“They were not taking decisions alone. Their leadership showed more on the pitch. But we had senior players who took decisions before the captain even presented it to the coach. You can’t take decisions alone because you are the captain, we all have to agree on what is worth presenting,” he revealed.
Watch the interview below:
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