Where did it all go wrong for Michael Essien? Why the Chelsea star will not be playing for Ghana vs England

ANALYSIS
By Kent Mensah

Talk about the best midfielder in Ghana and all fingers will point at the general, Michael Essien. However, the Chelsea ace has not been part of Ghana’s recent successes for reasons best known to himself, a development that has created more enemies than friends for him.

The 28-year-old is a regular for the Blues, but for over a year now, his No. 8 Black Stars shirt has been on the hanger gathering dust.

His reason is simple – he picked up two protracted injuries on national duty that almost ended his career. He has been reported to have been ‘grossly unhappy with attention’ he received from the Ghana FA during his long term injury, but nothing has been said publicly yet.

The Bison secured a sabbatical from former Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac to step aside from international assignments until he regained full fitness. Ghanaians agreed with him and everyone assumed that would last for a short period, but the Essien-issue is far from over. The midfield heartbeat has fully recovered and been formidable at Stamford Bridge, but from all indications he is not ready to return to the Black Stars any time soon.

New Black Stars coach Goran Stevanovic has made his intentions known that the fine player will be an integral part of his plans. Essien, in a meeting with the coach in February promised to return but failed to give a date. True to his words he will miss a high profile match between Ghana and England this Tuesday.

“I told him Stevanovic I will definitely return to the Ghana squad, but we didn’t talk about dates and I didn’t tell him I was available to play in March,” the former Lyon player revealed on his official website last month.

For club, not country | Essien will be in stands and not on the pitch for Wembley clash

“When I decided to take a break I knew some Ghanaians would be disappointed, but I felt at the time it was the right decision after two horrible injuries. Hopefully when I come back into the Ghanaian team the break will be beneficial for the Ghana team and I.

“I don’t want Ghanaians to believe these stories and then in March be disappointed that I am not in the team. I will definitely return to the team at some point in the future however it won’t be for the upcoming games. I haven’t told the coach or anyone else that,” the statement added.

Having being part of a Chelsea team that seems to have found their rhythm now, the Wembley meeting would have been a perfect platform for the media-shy Essien to relaunch his Black Stars career. The Pensioners have a heavy following in Ghana because of their midfield icon. Conversely, Ghanaian fans believe he gives out his best to the west London club, but very little to his birth country.

Black Stars without Essien

Talk about the Black Stars’ midfield without Essien a few years back and that could cause a stomach upset. The era when the west African team revolved around the SMS – Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari – is gone and buried.

The four-time African champions now boast of an embarrassment of talents, some of whom have fit well into the shoes of Essien and co making it difficult for fans to miss their absence.

Ghana took a depleted team to the last Nations Cup in Angola without their top stars as a result of injuries. Essien made it to that tournament, but played for close to 45 minutes and was forced out due to injury. The Black Stars finished second best.

The team proceeded to the World Cup in South Africa without the former Bastia ace and finished in the quarter-finals. The likes of youngster Andre Dede Ayew, Anthony Annan, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Derek Boateng have filled that void created by his absence. Yet, a section of Ghanaians believe Ghana still lack the calibre of Essien in the midfield.

Essien has been the talk of town in Ghana recently ahead of a historic friendly against England on March 29. Fans are divided over his stance. His attitude has created rancour among football administrators. He may be the darling boy in London, but here in Ghana, the masses who worship and sing football are crucifying him.

Frankly, Ghanaians sorely miss him at times, but they seem to have had enough of him. They want the Essien chapter closed once and for all, but for others it would be too risky to take such a decision.

“We must be courageous to call the bluff of those who seek to hold us to ransom. Essien, in particular, has shown little commitment to the cause of the Black Stars, and it is high time we forgot about him,” former Ghana FA president Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe blurted out recently.

“After all, it is when someone leaves that new talents emerge. It was the exposure that Ghana gave him as an Under-17 in 1999 that has ultimately yielded a career in Europe. If he is unwilling to reciprocate the gesture, or believes he has finished paying his due, let’s leave him alone.

Players’ reaction

However, the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana, feels otherwise. Its board – Tony Baffoe, Kwame Ayew, Sammy Kuffuor, Augustine Ahinful and Kwasi Appiah – in a statement defended the midfield maestro calling on Ghanaians to exercise restraint.

“Michael Essien has had to endure four surgeries to get back to match-fitness. Aside from the physical effects of staying out of active football for over six months, the injuries have also had a psychological effect on the player.

“Looking at the factors that informed the player’s decision to take a break from international duties, we can only sympathize with the player and at the same time we would like to appeal to all the persons concerned to allow him to choose his date of return to the Black Stars.

“Let’s remember the Michael Essien who made us proud together with Stephan Appiah, Richard Kingson, Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan, John Mensah and his other team mates during Germany 2006 and CAN 2008.

“We the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana are very confident that he will soon be back in Action for his dear nation Ghana,” the statement read.

Other former Black Stars players such as Anthony Yeboah and Yaw Preko have all given the player their full support, although they also admit his sabbatical has taken far too long.

Love him or hate him, the man who has played at every level for Ghana except for at the Olympics, will continue to remain a dominant force in absence for the current best ranked African side so far as he remains active with club football.

As he joins the over 20,000 Ghana fans from home and abroad in the stands to watch the Ghana – England friendly, his admirers will be wondering why the charity icon is still refusing to join the team. Only Essien has the answers.