Michael Essien’s form at Chelsea has been questioned lately
In haste, I left the office, destination: the Jazz Bar to catch the big game. I got there in good time to catch the team sheet and like I feared, he wasn’t in the starting line up.
Surely, his despondency must be growing I surmised.
I got my confirmation when seconds to the end of the game, you could clearly tell from the body language of Team Chelsea that they couldn’t wait to hear the final whistle.
However, seated with a forlorn look just behind Chelsea’s interim coach, Roberto Di Matteo, was Michael Essien, a man who just a couple of years ago was very much a pivotal figure in this very fixture at the same semi-final stage of the UEFA Champions League.
On that night 3 years ago, he let out a screamer that would have seen Chelsea through to the final until Andres Iniesta had other ideas. That goal and powerful performance had become characteristic of him.
He savoured European nights like this but instead of being on the field in the mix of the action, under the lights and on large screens across the world, he found himself warming the bench, a mere footnote to the fanfare as Chelsea beat Barcelona 1-0 in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
It was a quick flash, but the look of uncertainty and discontentment was visible and thousands of miles away, I empathised with the man nicknamed ‘the Bison’ for his bullish play and drive. Attributes, you hardly see in his output these days.
In his peak, he was a nominee for African and World Player of the Year awards and was universally acclaimed as one of the world’s best box to box midfielders. Two knee injuries and surgeries later, the train has slowed down and he barely commands games these days.
Though not verbalised, the popular opinion is that, Essien’s best days are behind him and might even be kicked out from Chelsea in the summer. Well, as to him being kicked out in the summer, we cannot say but is Essien really finished; will he ever rediscover his swashbuckling form 3-4 seasons ago?
In his book, what chapter will his current situation be? A conflict or a conclusion? A little perspective would do, don’t you think? Then, let us turn the page to chapter one in order to make an informed opinion.
The story begins when Michael Essien, born on December 3, 1982, joined the National U-17 team, the Black Starlets as a central defender for the 1999 World Championship in New Zealand. A good performance caught the eye of foreign scouts and he transferred from Dansoman based Liberty Professionals to Bastia in France the following year.
It was at Bastia that he started playing in midfield and his outstanding work attracted Olympique Lyon which signed him in 2003. He would stay at Lyon for only 2 years. But those years were littered with powerful performances in midfield alongside Mali’s Mahamadou Diarra and Brazil’s Juninho.
Across the border, a certain Jose Mourinho backed by the Roman Abramovich revolution secured his services, after one of the most protracted transfer sagas in August 2005 for a then African record of 24.4 million pounds.
Prior to that, Essien had formed an impregnable midfield partnership with countrymen Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari and Laryea Kigmston for Ghana’s Black Stars. The dreaded quartet ensured Ghana’s first qualification for the senior World Cup in Germany 2006, Indeed, Essien scored in the crucial 2-0 away victory over South Africa in the qualifiers. He didn’t disappoint in the World Cup proper as he contributed to Ghana’s last 16 placing.
But the tournament that he thoroughly dominated has to be the 2008 Africa Nations Cup on home soil. The highlight being his headed equalizer against Nigeria at a time Ghana was a man down and needed that lift in the quarterfinal.
The Stars eventually placed 3rd and Essien again contributed to Ghana’s qualification to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Back at Chelsea, Essien didn’t disappoint as he churned out one powerful performance after another. Chelsea fans would however have the goals he scored, versus Arsenal in 2006 (a swerving shot from about 30 yards) and versus Valencia (a low grounder after making a powerful run from right back) forever etched in their memories.
While Essien was delivering for both club and country, a seemingly innocuous incident occurred in Libya on September 5, 2008. Essien, then playing for Ghana against Libya, landed awkwardly on the pitch in the 25th minute and was rightly taken off.
The injury was diagnosed as a rapture of his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). In the language you and I speak, that is simply a tear of ligaments that stabilises movement of the knee.
One would have thought that once he was operated on and healed ‘the bison’ would have the peace to do his business on the pitch.
But ACL injuries are such that, if not properly healed, it affects other ligaments as well and the sufferer then becomes susceptible to other ACL injuries. That fear, unfortunately came to pass.
Essien further sustained 2 knee injuries in January 2010 in Angola at the Africa Nations Cup and in preseason with Chelsea in July 2011.
Now, it is common knowledge that knee injuries are a footballer’s nightmare. It is that injury that kept Ronaldo (The original one from Brazil, the el –fenomeno) in and out of the theatre from 1999 to 2002.
Ronaldo at that time went under the knife many times and many opined that his career was over, that he was finished.
But the el –fenomeno braved through it and came back to inspire Brazil to win the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea scoring 8 goals in the process.
An inspired story Essien can pick a chapter or two from.
Conflict or Conclusion?
So, when the story of Essien’s football career is being told, what chapter would this be in his book? Is this the chapter where he is faced with a major conflict he needs to resolve and overcome?
As mentioned earlier, he can look to Ronaldo, but critically, he also needs to accept that the injuries have worn him down psychologically and would need the help of a psychologist dearly to overcome the mental trauma the injuries have caused.
It is evident in his play, Essien, who hitherto would relish a physical challenge, rather buckles these days.
It’s all in his mind and though there is no denying that physically, he would not be at the level he used to be 3 or 4 seasons ago, he still has his football I.Q and once his confidence is restored, he could go another 3-4 years and impact both club and country.
Or Essien, could decide to transfer to a smaller team where the pressure is light, get some playing time and fully recover physically and psychologically. A painful, yet do-able process.
Or perhaps Essien can take the easier option, call time on the big leagues, sign for a team in the Middle East and collect a hefty pension.
It is all up to him, whether he turns the page or signs off. Indeed, he is the author of what is left in his football book.
