ESSIEN DIDN'T PLAN FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT

Ex-Ghanaian national team player Michael Essien has revealed that he didn't see himself as a manager and that he loves the round leather game of football. Michael Essien disclosed that he didn't plan football management and that his love for the game as played a big part. Michael Essien talked about his early life in football management and those who have shaped his career in a chat with The Football Ramble.

The ex-AC Milan, Lyon and Chelsea player is now a coach at FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark's first division. On the manager who has had the biggest influence on him, Michael Essien picked Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho. He played under Mourinho in his first managerial spell at Chelsea. The Portuguese tactician played a big part in his transfer from Lyon to Chelsea in the summer of 2005. Mourinho signed the midfielder a year after his appointment as the Blues boss. Chelsea paid £26m to secure the signing of a young Michael Essien from French club Lyon almost two decades ago.

Michael Essien played under a lot of managers during his time at Chelsea but none was like Mourinho according to him. Apart from Mourinho, the former Ghanaian international also featured prominently for Dutch tactician Guus Hiddink, Israeli manager Avram Grant, Andre Villas-Boas and current Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti. Michael Essien said Mourinho is a winner and that he will give his players the tactical side of the game in details so that they know what they are doing on the pitch. Michael Essien won the Premier League title in his debut season at Chelsea before adding one more under Italian Ancelotti during the 2009/10 season.