Michael Essien ends his self-imposed one-year exile from Ghana Blackstars

• Posted on June 10, 2013June 10, 2013
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Michael Essien has ended his self-imposed one-year exile from the Ghana national team. He controversially put his Black Stars career on hold after suffering two serious injuries.

“I am fully ready to return to the Black Stars for our next Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo in June. I still have a lot to offer my country and it never crossed my mind to retire from the national team,” Essien said.

After almost one and a half years of what can be termed as self-imposed inaction for the national team, the Black Stars, star midfielder, Michael Essien on Sunday finally laid to rest speculations about the time he would be returning to the national team.

A few weeks after the 2010 World Cup, Michael Essien, announced his unavailability for national call up as he wanted to cement his place in the Chelsea team, following a long lay-off as a result of two injuries.

The last of the injuries was at a Black Stars training session in January 2010 during the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, where he played just 45 minutes for Ghana against Cote d’ Ivoire.

And prior to the World Cup, expectations were that Michael would win the race against time to make to the 2010 World Cup, but as fate had it, he could not so he missed out on the first World Cup hosted by an African country.

Essien announced categorically that he would most definitely be in the Black Stars jersey when the team comes up against Congo in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

He told BBC, “After the two serious injuries I asked permission from the Ghana FA to excuse me from Black Stars duties to allow me to fully recover. They understood my situation and granted my request because of the injuries I had”.

“I really want to help my country to qualify for the next year’s Africa Cup of Nations so I am ready to join my colleagues to help the country to qualify. I’ve always wanted to play for my country”, he remarked.

Essien’s long absence from the Black Stars when the team needed him caused many to express doubts about his commitment to the team, and some even went to the extent of suggesting that he should be axed from the team.

But Essien believes his time with the Black Stars has not ended, and with the announcement on Sunday, he gave practical meaning to all he has been saying all this time.

“I still have a lot to offer my country and it never crossed my mind to retire from the national team,” he stated.

The Chronicle