Posted by Ghanaian legend Michael Essien becomes the latest Ghanaian to join the Nordsjælland technical team after former Asante Kotoko head coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani and Laryea Kingston.
Michael Essien, who left Azerbaijan side Sabail FC in July 2020 and has already done his coaching badges will join the team as a Player Coach, under guidance of Head Coach Flemming Pedersen.
Essien will join the staff in an assistant role and participate in the trainings alongside the players to help implement the drills and ideas in the best possible way as well as contribute with new input to coaching group evaluations of the training session afterwards.
FC Nordsjaelland sporting director Jan Laursen explained their reasons for the appointment of the former Lyon and Chelsea player.
“Essien left a very positive impression here during his visit and we continued the dialogue with him after he had left,” he told the club’s website.
“We felt, he was excited by what he experienced here through our philosophy, the people he met at the club, and that our environment inspired him.
”At the same time, Michael’s visit gave us a clear impression of how much a coaching staff member on the pitch, as an active part of the training with the players, can contribute and add.
“That part we are really looking forward to further developing, and we are very happy that it can happen through and with such a football- and human capacity as Michael Essien is.”
Essien joins Mas-Ud Didi Dramani who’s the assistant coach of the first team and Laryea Kingston who currently handles the U-19.
“In the coaching staff we’ve experienced Michael Essien as both curious and hungry for knowledge before and after the training sessions, but at the same time also contributing and giving among the players during the trainings.
”His career and experience speak for themselves, but when you add his humble and giving personality, this is an exceptional opportunity for us to get a person added to the staff who can help make our environment even more developing for our players and also add valuable input to the coaching team and be our hand on the training pitch.
”We are very much looking forward to welcoming Michael to FCN,” head coach Flemming Pedersen said after Essien’s appointment.
Nordsjaelland, is owned by Tom Venon, who is also the brainchild of Right to Dream Academy. The team currently has 9 Ghanaian players on their books.
The club recently sold Kudus Mohammed to Ajax, while Abdul Mumin departed to Victoria Guimaraes on a free transfer.