Coach Ancelotti’s move from AC Milan to Chelsea took off smoothly with continues weekly win of their premier league fixtures. Huge crowds turned out to watch games played by Chelsea. Attendance began to diminish as soon as Essien got injured while on national duty at Angola during the recent African Cup of Nations.
It is now very clear that top coaches hired by Chelsea are allowed to stay or fired depending on Essien being injury free. Chelsea have won more FA Cup games, Premier League games, and champions league games with a Chelsea squad with Essien included than with squads excluding Essien.
When Essien got injured during a World Cup qualifier against Libya on 5 September 2008 by rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament. He was out of action for Chelsea for as long as six months. During his absence, Chelsea lost most of their league games. Many experienced soccer analyst believed that Coach Scolari of Brazil was fired by Chelsea because of the absence of Essien during much of the 2008 English Premier League season.
Once again, Essien got injured during his service to Ghana, a country he loves so much. Despite their massive win yesterday against Aston Villa, Chelsea is not performing as well as they did at the beginning of the 2010 Premier League season. They have lost most of their premier League fixtures, and are out of the Champions league. The absence of Essien is deeply felt by Chelsea. Chelsea fans keep asking when Essien will be returning to the squad. Some are already asking for the firing of coach Ancelotti. The chances of Chelsea winning the English Premier League this season is slim. It is believed by many soccer fans that Arsenal or Manchester United will win the league this season.
Many Great Coaches such as Mourinho, Guss Hidink, Scolari, Wenger, Mancini, Ancelotti, and Ferguson have spoken highly of Essien. I believe strongly that all of these great coaches will pick Essien as their number one midfielder ahead of Iniesta, Xavi, Lampard, and Gerrard if they had to choose among these midfielders.
Guss Hidink was highly praised by Chelsea fans during his short time as the acting coach of Chelsea in 2009 because Essien was injury free and featured regularly in almost all games played by Chelsea in 2009 under Guss Hidink. There is a very good reason why his former Coach Mourinho named him “the train”. Essien is one of the most consistent and disciplined Soccer players I have even known.
I am not sure why Essien haven’t won the CAF player of the year award yet. He has been the runner up about three times and has always lost to strikers like Eto and Drogba. I am not sure whether the CAF award is designed to be awarded to only strikers. Essien deserves the CAF best player award. I want to encourage the chairman of the Ghana football Association and the Government of Ghana to consider great Ghanaian Soccer heroes such as Essien, Abedi Pele, etc for a special national award such as the National Medal of Honor. They have been excellent Ambassadors of Ghana home and abroad. God bless Ghana.
BY: Nick Amuna - USA
Email: nicamuna@yahoo.com
