18 February 2011
Michael Essien is promising a future return to international football, after more than a year without playing for Ghana, but suggested it will not be against England at Wembley next month.
The Chelsea midfielders return, after requesting a break to concentrate on his club career, has been the subject of intense speculation in recent days but Essien has rebuffed stories he will line up in March after some 15 months away from his national team.
I dont want Ghanaians to believe these stories and then in March be disappointed that I am not in the team, he said on his website www.michaelessiengh.com
I will definitely return to the team at some point in the future, however it wont be for the upcoming games.
Essien, 28, said he had a brief telephone discussion with Ghanas new coach Goran Stevanovic, who was reported by Ghanaian media to be headed to London for a weekend meeting with the midfielder.
I told him I will definitely return to the Ghana squad but we didnt talk about dates and I didnt tell him I was available to play in March, Essien added. Ghana, ranked 15th in the world, play Congo in an African Nations Cup qualifier in Brazzaville on March 27 and then England two days layer.
When I decided to take a break I knew some Ghanaians would be disappointed but I felt at the time it was the right decision after two horrible injuries. Hopefully when I come back to the Ghanaian team the break will be beneficial for the Ghana team and I.
Essien suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in September 2008 while playing against Libya and was out for six months.
He again hurt his knee at the Nations Cup finals in Angola in January last year and missed the World Cup in South Africa, where the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals He has not played for Ghana since earning his 50th cap in a 45-minute run out against the Ivory Coast in Cabinda on Jan. 15, 2010.
Of course Ill be at Wembley to support the team. I am a Black Stars supporter like any other player. I predict Ghana to win, he added.
