ECCLESIASTES 7 VRS 21: Do not pay attention to every insult people say, or you may hear your servant insulting you!
Ghana's acid-tongue coach Isaac Opeele Boateng feels vindicated after the Football Association ruled Michael Essien out of the Fifa World Cup finals but says there is no need to panic.
Who is now the true friend of Michael Essien? I said, can he go in for 50 – 50 balls? I will drop him to save his career! Was this a sin? For those out there who just wanted the boy to be used to have his career cut short and I, who called for his career to be saved, must judge between us!
I ONCE TOLD RADIO LISTENERS THAT I ONLY TALK TO THE WISE AND NOT THE FOOLISH IN SOCIETY!
I thank all those who because of the truth have abandoned me and seen me as unpatriotic. The sin that I always commit to attract hatred in Ghana football is that after getting the technical vision, I cannot get my ''f**king mouth shut!''
Ghana’s Michael Essien will be missing the World Cup in South Africa. This sad news will have to change the tactical plan of Coach Milovan Rajevac. There has been calls and text messages from interested parties asking about the man that can really play in his position?
My critics are confused and confounded. I'm not confused like my empty critics who insulted me and sent me death threats via my phone. Their cynical opinions and naivety had no depth. You can say what you want, But the truth is so clear, yes truly prophetic!
Last week, I called for Michael Essien to be dropped because I did not see the superstar making it to the World Cup to perform. And before it even came out that Jose Mourinho wanted him at Real Madrid I had predicted that on a local Ghanaian radio station.
I may be far away from Michael Essien but I know his psyche in football. It is the insane that will come out to tell his nation that her super star must be dropped. Saying that was like committing treason.
But I had said that because I know how Essien plays on a football pitch, Michael’s style of going in for tackles can be compared to Steven Gerrard of Liverpool and England.
Steven Gerrad is that type of lion – hearted midfielder who loves to go in for 50 – 50 tackles without remorse.
When Jose Mourinho arrived at the Stamford Bridge he wanted to buy Steve Gerrard until the deal fell through at the last minute. When Gerrard’s move failed Jose turned his attention to Essien in the following season.
This event signifies that to Jose Mourinho, Michael Essien and Steven Gerrard have the same qualities. You can not put Essien on a pitch and expect him to play gentle football to save his legs.
Essien always want to tackle and he also believes in his skills in the midfield.
It is no wonder that the opponent always fouls Essien and Gerrard at the moment they have the ball or advance to the opponent area. I can say on authority that I know Michael Essien’s style of play like my coaching philosophy.
The English have lost David Beckham, the Germans have lost Michael Ballack and what was the crime of Coach Opeele showing his patriotic side of life to say lets drop Essien for his health sake to save his career. After all, this is not the end of Essien.
There is panic across Ghana and it is so sad that if the sense I was making had being taking up by any brave fellow, Ghanaians would have being pessimist about Essien making it into the final 23. Optimism can sometimes give negative results and it creates panic.
Sometimes optimism is like gambling.
There is no need to waste our time discussing a player who the signs have shown from time immemorial that he can not make it to South Africa.
Technical wisdom is a gift from God, but I am human and fallible! My foolishness and fallibility was to call for Essien to be dropped. I could have being tried at a “courtâ€
Michael Essien, must get to know that I am not his enemy no.1 but a true distant friend who is interested in his future and welfare. I wasn’t interested in seeing him being used and later to be out of football. I love him and I made that call for his own good and I wish him a speedy recovery.
I am a fan of Essien, I advice him to be patient because Ghana needs him in the future. Get well soon Essien!
MILOVAN’S PLAN B:
Coach Milovan Rajevac who is a top level coach must have his plan B in place by now. I do not think the master tactician will be caught up by events. All top level coaches are usually pessimist. So it must not be a problem
I believe in the abilities of Milovan and I hope that is plan B is already in place. I wish the Serbian tactician well.
GHANA HAS THE BEST MIDFIELD:
Losing of Michael Essien will not have any impact on the team’s midfield. The Black Stars of Ghana has the best midfield in Group D. Michael’s presence will only bring quality but without him those there will hold the fort quite well.
The Black Stars plays in a 4:2:3:1 formation, and that can also be varied to a 4:5:1 formation. The coach will have the option of probable playing Anthony Annan as No.6, Laryea Kingston ( Inkoom) No.7, Kwadwo Asamoah No.8, Sulley Muntari No.11 and Kevin Prince -Boateng as No.10: Be mindful, these roles have been replaced by left-winger, defensive midfielder etc.
There is going to be a five strong man midfield and it will be difficult for any team to break them down.
Ghana with this crop of players will pose problems for the Serbians, Australians and Germans.
Serbia may have a good midfield but their preferred 4:3:3 system may be overpowered by ours. And when the Serbians decide to employ the 4:5:1, they will still encounter problems with these five packs. As for the Australians, it is Tim Cahill who may give them hope in midfield. The Australians best two midfielders of Jason Culina and Vincenzo Grella will also be overpowered alongside by Cahill.
The Germans seems to be the only team that majority of Ghanaians fear but if our midfield will be well organized the Germans w ill have a pound of their money. The Germans can not over power the Black Stars’ midfield.
Before Michael Ballack got injured he was at arms length with Coach Joachim Low over Ballack’s choice of whom to partner in midfield.
As Ballack is out the German team, they are trying to improvise and they do not know what to do.
Bastian Schweinsteiger is their only hope in midfield now. And Ballack never wanted to play with Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The likes of Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira may be good but not in the region of what the Ghanaian team has in midfield.
Finally, I will like to technically assure all Ghanaian fans out there that the Black Stars still have the best midfield in Group D and nothing will stop the Black Stars from qualifying, i.e. with sound tactical organization!
Coach Milovan Rajevac has what it takes so let us go through. So please don’t panic!