Mensah hints at Essien's Ghana return

Published on: 30 September 2010

By Geraldine Duodu

Ghana defender John Mensah believes midfielder Michael Essien will soon end his international retirement and return for the remainder of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Chelsea ace decided to take a temporary break from the Ghana national team after a knee injury kept him out of the World Cup finals and also missed the greater part of last season in the English Premier League.

Essien has regained his old form and scored two Premier League goals this term as the Blues lead the pack.

Mensah is confident his close pal will not prolong his retirement after a bright start to the season.

''Essien's statement [on his international involvement], I did not hear from his mouth how he said it. I did not hear from him about it, I just read it on the internet and from you as well," Sunderland defender John Mensah said.

''But Essien knows me well, he can brief me for this situation, but even if he didn’t brief me on this situation what I can say is we all know Essien is a great player, we all know that, and I don’t think Essien will stay away for long.

"Essien has played for the national team for many years and I think he wants to concentrate for the club matches to see how it is, and as well once we play a lot of non-competitive matches I think he is just saving himself, but I think once we are playing qualification matches I hope he will be back soon."

Essien last played for Ghana in January this year at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.

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