I left Sunderland for the cash! Published 23:00 07/11/11 By John Cross Recommend Asamoah Gyan has broken his silence on his bitter exit from Sunderland and admitted: Money makes me happy. Ghana striker Gyan infuriated Black Cats boss Steve Bruce by going to moneybags United Arab Emirates club Al Ain on a year's loan after the transfer window shut. Gyan, talking at a launch of Puma's new kit range, is believed to have QUADRUPLED his money to over £100,000 a week - and the wealthy Middle East club have paid a £6million loan fee. That led to an angry attack from Bruce, who was not able to replace Gyan and inferred he was being greedy by leaving the Premier League to cash in at a football backwater. But far from making excuses to furious Sunderland fans, 25-year-old Gyan insisted that he has no regrets and did it for the sake of his family, wealth and happiness. Gyan also claimed he is still on good terms with Bruce and said he can be a trailblazer for football in the Middle East ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. "I know people will be wondering why I moved to the Middle East, but it's up to me," said Gyan, who arrived on Wearside in August 2010 from French club Rennes on a four-year contract. "In life you need two things. You need to be happy and you need to look after yourself money-wise. "Whoever said I went for money needs to think twice. "I made a decision with my family and the most important thing was for me to be happy and to be with my family. "It wasn't a difficult decision. I had to decide with my family. My family is more important to me. "I made the decision and it was Sunderland who agreed on the deal. It was Sunderland and me who did the deal. I couldn't have gone unless they agreed. There was no problem. "Steve Bruce is like my father. He brought me to Sunderland for a record fee of £13million. But that's life. I'm doing my job and he's doing his job. "He's working under Sunderland and I'm also working under Sunderland. "There was no confrontation with Steve. He is still my father. He gave me confidence. I'm always ready to work with him again. "I don't know whether I will work with Steve again. It's a loan deal. I'm enjoying my football now and then we'll see what happens at the end of the season. There's options in the contract." Gyan did a dramatic U-turn in September, insisting he was staying - then days later quitting the Stadium of Light. "What I know is that I did so well in my first season," said Gyan, who finished with 10 league goals. "Then all of a sudden I left. The deal was made and I had no option but to move. "The Sunderland fans loved me. I know they were hurt. The deal came at the wrong time - but that's life." The accusation is that he sold out and will pay the price. Critics reckon his bizarre move will affect his career and form for Ghana in the African Nations Cup in the New Year. But the man from Accra is convinced football in the Middle East is improving and that he is getting used to heat which often sees temperatures soar above 40 degrees. Gyan added: "I feel on top of my game, I'm helping my country, we've got the African Cup of Nations coming up. People look up to us and we're hopeful we can do well. "I'm enjoying my football there. I've started to score some goals, I'm enjoying myself and it's a new experience for me. "The weather is sometimes too hot. It's hard to play. Maybe it will get better next month. "But football-wise it's improving. A lot of players are coming to the Middle East to play. "Who knows? I might bring exposure to the league. "Maybe big players will follow me to the league. "The English league is regarded as one of the best in the world - but it had to start somewhere. "The reception I got in the UAE was magnificent. The fans all watch the Premier League and then all of a sudden there I am playing there. "I'm improving as a player. I'm somebody. I'm a funny guy, I joke a lot and yet when I'm on the field I concentrate very hard. I'm still playing well and I work hard, OK?"
British journalism at it's very best. Headline : I left Sunderland for the cash. Quotation : "Whoever said I went for money needs to think twice." But what a weird statement! In October he was saying the loan was an amicable agreement by all parties (and the SAFC official announcement agreed), and he didn't understand why Bruce had called him greedy, etc. He hadn't spoken to Bruce on the phone for a month because he was so upset by it. Now "Steve is my father" etc., "He gave me confidence" - as though the guy who played for Ghana in last year's World Cup ever lacked confidence! What's the purpose of this statement? Is he trying to mend bridges with Bruce? But then, why should he when Bruce hasn't tried to mend any bridges at this end? One thing does come through - and not for the first time. If SAFC and Gyan agree that it was all nice and cozy on all sides, and if Bruce was infuriated as seems to be the case, then Bruce can't have been told about the agreement until afterwards. Otherwise, he could have stopped it. So who in SAFC decided not to tell him? This was a weird case from start to finish. And this statement clarifies nothing about it. But it does add a new twist. What they hell is he trying to achieve with it?
I never have thought Bruce was in on it, why make a statement on a Friday saying how they had shaken hands nd all was well then turn up on Saturday to find he had gone. I know Bruce gets the blame for lots of things but I still feel something strange was and maybe still is going on behind the scenes.
SB is not to blame for Bent and Gyan leaving as such. I am sure he wanted them to stay. SB and the rest of management are at fault for not having plan B in place knowing that Gyan and Bent wanted to leave, they should have been better/tougher/cannier in organising their date of exit so we were not left without strikers. I am sure it is tough arranging for one striker to come in as another striker is leaving, but that is why they are paid the big bucks to protect and build up Sunderland football team, not just to take the fast buck and leave the team 'understaffed' frankly it is bad management and not just by SB.
I don't think Bruce can be blamed for this greedy little man ! Someone upstairs must have done the deal but what do you do if he wants to leave ?
If the club are selling players without Bruces knowledge then something is sadly wrong at the top. It means his hands are tied.
I'm not saying he didn't know about but I can't see that it was his decision. What can he do a player want to leave and the club come up with a loan deal and he wants to take it. It pisses me off that a player could do that but that's modern football ! Could you imagine some of the stars of the 80's doing that !
We all knew Asamoah wanted to leave , we speculated about it for months. **** him. 6 million loan fee plus whatever we sell him for, we´ll be alright out of it. Sad thing is though, him and Bendtner would have made a very good and difficult to handle pairing.
I think the club weighed up there options here and it hurts me to say it. For every position higher up the league you get an extra £500,000.00. That means that if for the loan deal of Gyan (6 million) we had to finish 12 places higher up the league to improve from a money perspective. Therefore, I think the club said lets make money from the Gyan loan and better ourselves that way. Tell me to do one if you like but football is a business and things like this does actually happen.
no way for a mod to talk abut red and white, he did say tell me to do one but OTT that, oh I see, Gyan is a twat
I like how he has a big inflatted impression of himself, and how he is going to attatrct or pulisise the league. I was over there when he first went and also when he played his first league game and there wasnt much of a ripple never mind a splash in the papers and local news. You have bigger players than him there and maradonna is managing a team so not all eyes are on him like he thinks! And her looked just as arsed as he did for us in that match.
Yourself Commachio - These are my views - yours, well nothing... Rest my case... If you want to call me a twat, fine, but at least have an opinion on the matter so I can call you a twat...
I think he meant Gyan is a twat but can see why you thought it was you. You must forgive commo, he came last in the Argus comp
Think someone has got a hold of the wrong end of the stick... it was in reference to the Camel bandit, who sold his soul.
Why does Gyan make out he's a great player with a big reputation? He's done canny for Ghana but has done absolutely nothing in club football, loans here and there and scored about 10-15 goals in 2 seasons for Rennes, hardly world player of the year standard. As for being "so good" in his first season... I wasn't convinced by him, looked good in 6 or 7 games over a season isn't enough. Chuffed we got rid of him when I heard how much money was involved.
Lots of rumours and theories that attempted to shine some light on why Bent departed so suddenly including the one where is was 'seeing' Bruce's daughter. Whatever the truth maybe, we can see that these star players don't last very long under Bruce and perhaps if we had a new manager we would be able to see if it is Bruce that is the cause of this phenomena or perhaps someone from above, assuming that we don't employ another manager with very poor man management skills. Whatever the truth maybe I fully agree with you that the club isn't being well managed at this present time. Let us take a look at what Newcastle have achieved under the guidance of a man with strong man management skills, a man who obtains bare minimum support from the clubs owner, a man that is working with even less finance than Bruce. I feel this is in itself is strong proof that we don't have to look much further than Bruce to see where the inadequacies do reside. I mean, its not as if Bruce has a magnificent resume that could serve as a reason for a balanced counter arguement. His CV is shockingly poor... Walked out of two jobs and sacked from another, relegated a club and won nothing... These arn't biased comments, they are historical facts. Get the right man who is capable of working with a squad and the fans enjoy an exciting season watching their football.
