Give Essien Time

Ghana national team deputy coach, Akwasi Appiah says calls by some Ghanaians to drop Essien from the national team due to Essien’s self imposed exile are misplaced.

Essien has not played for Ghana since his second half appearance against Cote D’Ivoire in the group stage of 2010 African Cup of Nations (CAN). During that match Essien was injured (by Drogba) and was forced to sit out the remainder of our double winning season.

Mr. Appiah told GNA Sports: “Essien is a great player which every coach or country will love to have in a team.

“This is one person who has served the country very well and if he has asked for time off, it is unfair to accuse him.

“The least we can do for him is to allow him the space until such a time that he feels psychologically and mentally strong to come back.”

It was generally expected that Essien would be back for Ghana’s friendly against England at Wembley on the 29^th March, but Essien issued a statement last month that he was not ready for a return.

Ghana’s new national coach, Goran Stevanovic has continuously voiced his desire to meet with Essien to convince him to rejoin the Ghanaian setup.

For now Essien has the support of the Ghanaian national team staff. How long that support will remain, I don’t know. What I know is that Essien faces stiff competition for a midfield position from Kevin Prince Boateng (AC Milan), Kojo Samoa & Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese), Andre Ayew (Olympic Marseille) and Sulley Muntari (Sunderland).

If Ghana maintains the positive performances that took them to the final of the CAN and the quarter finals of the world cup, Essien might soon be forgotten.

My advice to Essien is that if he still dreams of playing for his national team, he should return quickly. In football, absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder to see you; it makes the heart seek a replacement for you.