ESSIEN THE “BULL’’

ESSIEN THE “BULL’’
He is touted as a box-to-box midfielder for his ability to exert boundless energy in supporting offensive and defensive play. His tough tackling style and physical presence on the pitch have earned him the accolades “the Bison", “the Matador” and “the Train”. Due to his versatility, he has often been deployed to multiple midfield roles though he plays primarily in central midfield role with combined opportunities to go forward or support defensive play. Between the summer of 2007 and 2009, he was the most expensive African footballer on account of his £24.4 million move from French club Olympique Lyonnais to Chelsea FC, an achievement which was latter surpassed by Togolese international Emmanuel Adebayor, who moved from Arsenal to Manchester City for £25 million.
Michael Kojo Essien, born on the 3rd day of December 1982 to Aba Gyandoh and James Essien, he began his football career after graduating from the St. Augustine's College in Cape Coast and started his professional career with Liberty Professionals. His performance caught the eyes of national team selectors which gave him the chance to represent his country during the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand. His spirited performance at tournament led to considerable attention from European scouts and earned him a trial at Manchester United in April 2000, playing in the club's youth team's defeat by Derby County. The deal fell out and in July 2000, the young prodigy was signed by French club Bastia. At Bastia, he did not immediately command a consistent place in the team, being deployed in various positions in the back four.
However, due to an injury to a team-mate, he was given a temporary opportunity to play in central midfield, and flourished in this new role. In the 2002–03 season, he helped Bastia to qualify for the UEFA Cup, scoring six goals that season. Soon, Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon and Marseille made offers for him. Essien rejected PSG's contract offer, and instead agreed terms with Lyon, who paid Bastia €7.8 million for the transfer. At Lyon, Essien played more of a defensive midfield role, featuring regularly in the Lyon team that won the third and fourth of their then ongoing string of consecutive Ligue 1 titles. For his sterling performances, he was voted the 2005 Player of the Year by France's National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) and was as well nominated for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year Award and placed 22nd in 2005.
Soon his exploits attracted offers from several top European teams and on August 14, 2005, Lyon and Chelsea agreed a £24.4 million fee for the Ghanaian, finally ending one of the longest-running transfer sagas. At the time, the fee made Essien Chelsea's most expensive signing of all time, beating the £24 million they paid for Didier Drogba the previous summer. He debuted for Chelsea as a second half substitute against Arsenal on August 21, 2005, spotting the number 5 on his shirt. A game the ‘Blues’ won by a goal to nil courtesy a Didier Drogba strike. He made an assist in his full debut against West Bromwich Albion and again replaced injured Claude Makélélé in the defensive midfield role against Sunderland in the 2–0 win on September 10, and soon cemented his place in José Mourinho's side, making a total of 42 appearances in all competitions.

Essien scored his first goal for Chelsea in March 11, 2006, in a 2–1 victory over their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. His second goal came on April 17, 2006, against Everton with a powerful strike after an assertive burst through the defensive line and ended his maiden season in England with two Premier League goals.
After impressing at Chelsea and at the 2006 World Cup with Ghana, Essien was again nominated for the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year Award on October 12, 2006.One week later, he was nominated for the 2006 Ballon d'Or. Again, he was voted as the 3rd Best African Footballer of the Year in 2006, a feat he achieved in 2005.
The following season he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal for Chelsea in a 2–0 victory over Werder Bremen of Germany on September 12, 2006. Chelsea fans voted Essien as Chelsea Player of the Year for his contributions in the 2006–07 season becoming the first African to receive that honour. On August 13, 2007, Essien grabbed the winner with his first goal of the 2007–08 Premier League campaign, as Chelsea defeated Birmingham City, to set an English record for unbeaten league matches at home – eclipsing Liverpool's previous top-flight record of 63 set between 1978 and 1981.
The 2006 BBC African Footballer of the Year and one time French Player of the Year has a good eye for goal and on occasions scored breath-taking goals including his late dramatic equalizing goal for Chelsea against Arsenal on 10 December, 2006,a goal which was voted Chelsea’s Goal of the Season for 2006–07.He also registered a spectacular late winner in the quarter-final second leg against Valencia at the Mestalla in the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League Season and another stunning left-footed volley in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against FC Barcelona On May 6 2009,which was again voted 2008-09 goal of the season by Chelsea FC fans. He has won with Chelsea two Premiership titles in 2005–06 and 2009-2010,Football League Cup in2006–07 as well as three FA Cups in 2006–07, 2008–09 and 2009-2010 and two FA Community Shields.
At the national level, he made his competitive senior debut in the 2002 African Nations Cup against Morocco on 21 January, 2002. On May 16, 2006, Essien was part of the team that represented Ghana at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and helped Ghana become the only African team to reach the second round of the 2006 World Cup with two man of the match performances. He was simply outstanding in the African Cup of Nations 2008 Tournament in Ghana driving the Bronze winning team with his power packed performances including a captaincy role in the quarter-final against Nigeria. He also made it into the All-Star Players after the tournament and subsequently helped Ghana make a second consecutive World Cup appearance in South Africa though he missed the tournament due to injury.
Undoubtedly he is one of the best players to grace the football fraternity and a player most lovers of the beautiful game will always remember.

COMPILED BY ATTAH-EFFAH BADU (ROMEO)
Credit Chelseafc.com and En.wikipedia.org