Can Essien glitter again?

They say time changes but in football times do really change faster. Why do I say that? I will tell you, just follow my lead.

We are only few days to the start of the 28th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and conspicuously missing from the Black Stars squad is Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien. The reason for Essien’s absence is an open secret.

He has been injured the last six months but good thing is that the “Bison” is expected to make his first team appearance for Chelsea later this month but the big question that has been boggling my mind and perhaps that of many people is whether Essien will ever be the same player again.

Would he ever be the player the Black Stars and Chelsea looked up to in times of desperation some time ago? Can he still be that box to box workaholic midfielder the world admired few years ago? We all wait to see.

The last two years can be described as rough times for Essien. He has suffered two serious injuries in these two years with a lay off of not less than six months on each occasion.

Essien has gone through several surgeries the last 24 months that it’s almost pardonable to say that his best days are behind him. Very few people have suffered successive knee injuries and come back stronger.

Some Doctor friends I have spoken to on this subject believe while it is possible for Essien to return to his old blistering form, he would need a great deal of luck plus the services of a good psychologist to overcome the trauma.

At 29, Essien is inching closer to the twilight of his career and the physical demands of the English Premier league make the possibility of him rediscovering his old form the more enormous.

It`s been a long road back from injury for Michael Essien but it appears that the Ghanaian is fast reaching the end of that painful road.

Essien is a tough guy without a doubt but how much can a man take?

Chelsea will be delighted to have Essien back and so will the Black Stars which appears to be coping pretty well in his absence.

Essien’s frequent injuries the last two years forced him to opt out of national team duties for a while. He returned to the Black Stars sometime last year after the AU Peace game here in Accra. Whether or not Essien will walk straight back into the Black Stars starting line up waits to be seen especially with competition for places in the middle of the team keener than ever.

He clearly has qualities very few players in the Black Stars can boast of but times have really change, won’t you agree?

The robust midfielder has endured a difficult time with injuries during his Chelsea career, and will hope to help get the blues season back on track, following a run of disappointing results.

In the fullness of time we all will see whether or not Essien’s best days are behind him.

Welcome back Mr. Essien