Posted by Former Ghana and As Roma midfielder, Ahmed Barusso has disclosed how his former manager at Italian side Rimini used to task him to study and take test on compatriot Michael Essien.
Ahmed Barusso between 2006 to 2007 played for Italian side Rimini. The 35 year-old revealed how his manager then Leonardo Acori forced him to watch almost every game his compatriot Essien featured in for Chelsea that season, and quizzed him afterwards.
“I was always arguing with my coach at Rimini. He told me I had to break into the national team setup and be like Michael Essien,” he told CitiSports.
“Anytime Chelsea was playing that season, he would tell me to stop everything I was doing and watch the game and take notes on Essien’s performance.
”Michael Essien was a very great player at the time, and we played in a similar position.
”I had no choice but to watch because if I wasn’t able to answer his questions the following day, I’d be in trouble.”
Barrusso after the 2006/07 season joined Italian side AS Roma. He was part of the Black Stars team that failed to win the African cup of Nations on home soil in 2008.
The former Roma midfielder is famously known for his last minute free kick in the Black Stars’ 1-0 semi final defeat to Cameroon in AFCON 2008.
Barusso currently plays for Italian lower division side Colorno FC.