Ghana legend Willie Klutse is calling for Michael Essien immediate inclusion in the Black Stars because of his wealth of experience.
Essien has been out of the Ghana team since picking up a career-threatening knee injury in training in June 2010.
He made a return to fitness in November 2011 but was overlooked for the Africa Cup of Nations the following year in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Essien has revived his career on-loan at Real Madrid where he has featured in the Spanish La Liga and UEFA Champions League.
Klutse, a member of Ghana's 1978 Africa Cup of Nations winning team, believes Essien's return to top form can help the country's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
"This is the time we need Essien in the Black Stars with his experience to help groom the up and coming ones in the Black Stars now," the Inter Allies technical adviser told Accra-based Live FM.
"We need a very senior player who will stand to rally the players around. Apart from Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari, we don’t have mature players and that’s why we have problems when we go international."
Essien last played for Ghana in June 2011 in a Gabon and Equatorial Guinea Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo at the Baba Yara Stadium.