Former Blackstars midfielder Micheal Essien has finally spoken on the latest investigative piece by Ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas titled “Number 12” which exposed some corrupt practices in the Ghana Football Association.
According to the Persib Bandung Midfielder, news that he ganged up with Kevin Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari at the 2014 World cup in Brazil to destroy the Ghana’s campaign of winning the cup was false.
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During the Brazil 2014 World cup, reports came out that, Essien and his gang convinced the other players to demand their $4 million appearance fees to be paid before playing against Portugal in the group’s final game.
This, however, resulted in Kevin Prince Boateng and Sulley Ali Muntari being sacked from the national team while Michael Essien also went on self-retirement.
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Micheal Essien speaking in an interview on Adom FM said Anas’ June 12 expose’ has vindicated him and his other colleagues.
“Ghanaians will now understand the reasons why that incident happened in Brazil by virtue of what is going on currently in our football,” Essien told Adom FM.
“It will be very wrong for anyone to criticize me, Sulley Muntari and Kevin Prince Boateng for all that happened during the World Cup. Muntari, in particular, is a very good person and I have known him since our childhood days.
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“He is not someone who keeps quiet on issues like me, so he always voices out when he thinks that things will affect the team as a whole and not himself. Everything is clear now how issues were handled in the past by the leaders of the football,” he added.
Essien also went on to praise his former teammate and Ghanaian captain Stephen Appiah for his leadership qualities and said he’s the best teammate at the national level alongside Muntari.
“My best playing mate in the national team during my time was Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari. Appiah was a unifier and through his efforts, the country qualified to the World Cup for the first time in 2006,” he said.
