Chelsea and Ghana football legend Michael Essien has acknowledged the challenges that come with coaching.

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Widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation, Essien transitioned into coaching after a 20-year playing career. He received a call from Tom Vernon, the founder of one of Ghana's top football academies, which led him to this new path.

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Since 2020, Essien has served as the assistant coach for Danish top-flight club FC Nordsjaelland (FCN). He has said that his experience with former managers has been invaluable in shaping his coaching career.

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In an interview with the BBC, the 2012 Champions League winner discussed how his coaching journey has deepened his understanding of the frustrations faced by Jose Mourinho.

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"I had some great, great managers that I was lucky to work under. I learnt a few things from Jose and from Ancelotti—his calmness and how he manages his players, the way he tried to put his arms around his players. Now I understand a bit more why Jose would get angry,” Essien told the BBC.

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Essien, however, has no immediate plans to leave Nordsjaelland in search of managerial opportunities but is also not ruling out the possibility of becoming a head coach in the future, as football has always been a central part of his life.

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"I’m not thinking about being a head coach. Not yet. But when I get there, I will develop my style of play around the FCN model of what we’re doing here. I have a few more years to go. Let’s see. Maybe I will get there.

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"When I was playing, I never thought I would jump into this journey. But coming to the end of my career, I was thinking one day, 'I’ve done football my whole life, and I think that’s what I do best. I should start doing something just to keep my routine going,’” he further added.

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Essien played 256 times for Chelsea, winning the FA Cup four times, the Premier League two times, then the Champions League and League Cup.

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