Ghana’s hopes of winning the 2008 African Nations Cup on home soil rest in no small way on the broad shoulders of star player Michael Essien.
The Chelsea midfielder will be a vital cog in the hosts’ quest for their first title since 1982
ACCRA (Ghana) : Ghana’s hopes of winning the 2008 African Nations Cup on home soil rest in no small way on the broad shoulders of star player Michael Essien.
Chelsea’s tough midfielder is out to make up for lost time, injury having forced him to sit out the last edition in Egypt in 2006 when without him they failed to make it past the first round.
Expectations are high two years on that under the stewardship of coach Claude Le Roy the hosts, beaten in the second round of the 2006 World Cup by Brazil, can capture a record fifth Nations Cup title.
The French-born manager, speaking after a warm-up against Guinea, said: “Michael is not a normal player, he is from another planet. I told him there was no other footballer of his level in the world.”
For Essien this is a return home ten years after leaving the west African state for Europe after advertising his talents in the 1999 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in New Zealand. Scouts from a host of top clubs were out to sign the then Liberty Professionals FC player who was raised by his mother and four sisters.
But his agent, Fabien Piveteau, advised a more modest start to his professional career in Europe and he joined French side Bastia where he became a first team regular. He soon established himself in midfield, the ‘bison’ impressing with his speed, strength and versatility.
Snapped up by Lyon, Essien bagged his first silverware in the shape of the French title in 2004 and the following season a second, picking up the French league’s Player of the Year award along the way.
Essien then displayed a ruthless stubborn streak when he threatened to go on strike if the club refused to let him join Chelsea.
The then 24 million pound transfer, a record for an African player, duly went ahead and he had his dream job in the Premiership. A nightmare tackle on Liverpool’s Germany international Dietmar Hamann earned him early notoriety, but he was soon attracting kinder headlines.
His stellar performances at first the Stade Gerland and then Stamford Bridge where he picked up the 2006 Premiership title have been tracked closely by his football mad compatriots back home in Accra.
His home fans will be waiting for him to come up with the calibre of goal he produced against Arsenal in 2006.
If his exploits can help Ghana lift the title for the first time since 1982 he’ll surpass even former great Abedi Pele in the country’s affections. And Le Roy for one wouldn’t swap him for any other player on the planet. “With Michael in the team anything is possible.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}