Depression, Love for Football: Michael Essien details why he became a coach after retirement

Former Black Stars midfielder, Michael Essien, has shared that he took up a career in coaching after retirement for two reasons.

He noted that his decision centred around his love for football and an attempt to avoid depression.

Speaking with JoyNews, Essien asserted that during his heydays, he never envisaged himself being a coach after retirement.

"When I was playing, if you asked me if I wanted to go into coaching, I would say no. But as time passed, I started thinking: I’ve been in football all my life; why not take up coaching and acquire my license to still stay in football and be around the players?" he said.

"I took this decision to go into coaching because I didn’t want to be one of these ex-players who finish their careers, go home, and start thinking about what they want to do, only to get into depression," he added.

Michael Essien completed his UEFA License A course in 2023 and currently works as an assistant manager for Nordsjaelland FC in Denmark.

The 42-year-old has been with Nordsjaelland since 2020, where he understudied the coaches during his coaching course.

He was linked with the Black Stars job in March 2024, but the Ghana Football Association settled on Otto Addo.

Michael Essien officially retired from football in 2020, two years after retiring from international football. He had an illustrious career playing for top European clubs like Lyon, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and AC Milan.

His spell at Chelsea was the most memorable time of his career. He spent nine years at the club and left as a legend.

EE/BB