{"id":419769,"date":"2011-05-08T21:37:39","date_gmt":"2011-05-08T21:37:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/05\/08\/essien-announces-ghana-comeback\/"},"modified":"2011-05-08T21:37:39","modified_gmt":"2011-05-08T21:37:39","slug":"essien-announces-ghana-comeback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/08\/essien-announces-ghana-comeback\/","title":{"rendered":"Essien announces Ghana comeback"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Ibrahim Sannie<\/span>
BBC Sport<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

\"\"<\/div>\n\n\n
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\"Michael<\/p>\n

Essien is a regular for Chelsea but has not played for Ghana for a year<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has announced his return to the national team after a one-year absence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Chelsea ace temporarily put his Black Stars career on hold after suffering two serious injuries.<\/p>\n

But after regaining his form with Chelsea, Essien says he is available for selection for Ghana’s next game.<\/p>\n

“I am fully ready to return to the Black Stars for our next Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo in June,” Essien told BBC Sport.<\/p>\n

“After the two serious injuries i suffered while playing for my country, I asked permission from the Ghana FA to excuse me from Black Stars duties to allow me to fully recover.<\/p>\n

“They understood my situation and granted my request because of the injuries I had.<\/p>\n

“I really want to help my country to qualify for the next year’s Africa Cup of Nations so I am ready to join my colleagues to help the country to qualify.”<\/p>\n

Essien’s absence from the national team has been the subject of intense debate amongst football fans in Ghana.<\/p>\n

Some even speculated that he was contemplating retiring from the Black Stars but the Chelsea ace says it never crossed his mind.<\/p>\n

“I still have a lot to offer my country and it never crossed my mind to retire from the national team,” Essien said.<\/p>\n

“I have never ever said anything like that before. I love my country and I have a lot to give back.”<\/p>\n

The injury forced him out of the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola and then the World Cup in South Africa.<\/p>\n

Essien has not played for Ghana since a forty-five minute appearance at the 2010 Nations Cup.<\/p>\n

The Black Stars will play Congo on 6 June in Group I of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read the original here:
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