Essien attracts enthusiastic crowd in Tamale

Tamale, June 1, GNA - Chelsea FC "Player of the year", Michael Essien on Friday attracted a large crowd of enthusiastic football funs and admirers when he participated in a coaching clinic at the Kaladan SDA park in Tamale.

Essien and his team were mobbed by the crowd as the crowd struggled to either have a glimpse of him or touch with the security having a hectic time to control them.

The coaching clinic which was handled by four head coaches from Chelsea FC was organised was a collaboration between Right To Play and Chelsea to train 32 local coaches managing Under 17 players in the Northern Region.

The Chelsea coaches spent over two hours undertaking several exercises and playing games with students at the SDA Primary School. Mr. Tanko Yussif Assika, National Programme Coordinator of the Right to Play said the organisation in partnership with Chelsea FC are organising a series of designed games and activities, that are used as tools to improve health, build life skills and foster peace for children and communities.

He said the organisation was also using sports to create awareness on HIV/AIDS and to create a healthy and safer environment for children. Mr. Assika said Right to Play which is an athlete-driven international humanitarian organisation intends to utilise the talents of the youth to be useful citizens through sporting programmes and has therefore decided to open an office in the Northern sector of the country for the promotion of sports development.

He expressed satisfaction about the performance of the students during the training sessions and urged them to continue to train harder and commending the security personnel ably according protection to the Chelsea officials. 01 June 07