Michael Essien Deserves Better From Ghanaians

Many have been quick to ask for Michael Essien’s head for a decision to prolong his leave from National duties. Why convict a person when he has not been heard? I think he needs our encouragement and support.

He suffers a confidence deficit to play in a Ghana shirt after those two career threatening injuries in the Ghanaian shirt. In these times what he needs is our support and not chants for his head.

Lawyer Kwasi Nyantakyi has again earned my respect and enhanced his reputation when he said recently that while in England he will take time off to engage Essien to understand him as opposed to the impatient posture assumed by Dr Nhayo-Tamakloe whose wish is for the boy to be abandoned permanently.

I think that apart from the World Cup, I have no doubt that it is the dream of many a footballer to play at the Wembley, much so against a team like England and to say he is not ready to play that match means he needs our sympathy and not haunt.

In his shoes, would anyone dare say that it is by sheer coincidence that he picked up his last two grueling injuries on country duties. I think he is struggling with the question, and so what happens when I next play for country?

Let’s allow sometime and spare him the pettiness of the bad precedence being grounded and the fact that we did better without him in Angola & South Africa in 2010, if we are to win laurels in 2012, every muscle will be needed including that of the Midfield General.

Perhaps the services of a sports psychologist will be required to lead him out of this nightmare. I rest my case.