Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has shared insights into his journey from playing to coaching football.
The 41-year-old, who famously lifted the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea in 2012, is now an assistant coach at Danish club FC Nordsjælland.
Essien joined Nordsjælland's coaching staff for the 2020–21 season, with his appointment officially confirmed on September 9, 2020. Reflecting on his transition, Essien explained in an interview with BBC Africa that his decision to pursue coaching came from a simple desire to learn.
"I just woke up one day and thought, ‘Let me start doing something,’" Essien told BBC Sport. "I started coaching to learn what it’s like to be a coach. Now, I talk to a few of my former managers, just casual conversations – nothing tactical."
Essien also shared valuable lessons he learned from top managers like José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti during his playing days. "I was fortunate to work under some great, great managers," he said. "From Mourinho, I learned a lot, and from Ancelotti, I learned about calmness and how to manage players. He had a great way of putting his arms around his players."
Essien added, "Now I understand a bit more why Mourinho would get angry sometimes."
Before embarking on his coaching career, Essien had a stellar playing career, featuring for clubs such as Liberty Professionals, Bastia, Lyon, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Panathinaikos, Persib Bandung, and Sabail. He also earned 59 caps and scored nine goals for the Ghana national team.
