Jose Mourinho has paid tribute to Chelsea legend Michael Essien, describing Essien as his son.
Mourinho brought Essien to Chelsea in 2005 in a £25million transfer from Lyon and also signed him on loan at Real Madrid in 2012.
“He was not my player, he is my son – I am his white daddy,” Mourinho said in an interview with Malaysian television station Astro Supersport via Daily Mail.
“He was probably the only one who took me to his home, to the real home. To the place he was born, to the street where he played football as a kid.
“He made me fall in love with Ghana, with Accra where he lived, because then I had a better understanding of his mentality.”
Essien struggled with knee injuries during the latter half of his career but his dedication and commitment to playing through the pain barrier has stayed with Mourinho.
“I understand why as a player he was ready for everything, he was ready to die for the fellow players, for the club, for the manager, why he was ready to play like he did for me at Real Madrid with a knee that was not a knee anymore,” Mourinho added.
“It was a destroyed knee but with that personality, that desire and that mentality he suffered, always he suffered, but always with a smile. Michael smiles a lot.”
Essien was emotional after he saw the interview for the first time live in the Astro Stadium studio.
“That’s kind of emotional,” Essien said after watching the footage.
“It is very nice, we have a very good relationship.
“For him to say that about me is very special.”
Essien is loved by Chelsea fans all over the world and was a player that fought for the Chelsea badge during his time as a Chelsea player.
What happen to Essien,that makes Jose go for tributes
Tributes are paid only to Dead once!!hope Essien is alive??
Tributes aren’t only paid to the dead. Essien is alive.
My heart leaps on this one, is Essien okay?
Essien is OK
He is training wt chelsea reserve team
This is So Sad.. Essien was a great player. Hope he is Okay..
I hope all is well with him
MOURINHO Should be serious , how can you said tribune to essien while he is Alive die before he he die
Tribute is not just for the dead. This is simply Mourinho’s praise, respect, admiration for one of his greatest players. Eish
Reporters shud b serious with the way thy come up with healings.
Tributes can only b given 2 one who has passed on nt a living one.
All is well and I hope esien is fine wherever he is??
I was afraid when I saw this headline, the headline is scaring to be frank.
Please this site should remove this tribute written here. Essien is very much alive.
Hello Okechukwu, tribute is a statement or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration. Essien isn’t dead and as fans, we shouldn’t wait until a hero is dead before paying tribute to him. Tributes aren’t intended for dead people only.