Ghana’s all-time top scorer Asamoah Gyan has expressed his desire to transition to coaching when he retires, citing two managers he worked with in the UAE as particular influences.
The former Al Ain and Al Ahli striker, 34, spent some of his most successful years as a professional in the Emirates, winning multiple trophies and endearing himself to football fans in the country.
During four years at Al Ain from 2011, Gyan scored 128 goals in 123 matches and helped the club to three league titles and one President’s Cup crown. He won the UAE top flight’s Golden Boot three times and was top scorer in the 2014 Asian Champions League.
Gyan's league triumphs at Al Ain arrived under Cosmin Olaroiu and Zlatko Dalic, with the forward again playing under the former manager while on loan at Ahli.
Speaking in an interview in his homeland, Gyan confirmed aspirations to take up coaching following his playing career, which most recently featured a short spell with Indian Super League side NorthEast United.
“Honestly, I will try and get a licence in coaching because I have the IQ in coaching," Gyan said. "I know how to coach. For me, I can be a very good coach, but I need to go through the processes.
“I have to combine everything. Honestly, I really like Cosmin Olaroiu, the coach who coached me at Al Ain. He is a Romanian; he’s not well known in Europe. And then I learned a lot from Zlatko, who took Croatia to the [2018 World Cup] final. He was my coach in Al Ain”.
Gyan left Al Ain in 2015 to sign for Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG, then spent one year on loan with Ahli. He has scored a record 51 goals for the Ghana national team, representing his country at the World Cup in 2006, 2010 and 2014.
