Essien Ready for Nations Cup

Chelsea ace Michael Essien has confirmed he has no problems with his club over his appearance at next year's Africa Cup of Nations in Angola for the Black Stars. Essien is one of four Africans that will be away from Stamford Bridge in January and that it suggested to wreck their title ambitions. The 26-year-old played a key role in Ghana's bronze medal winning feat at the last Cup of Nations on home soil. Essien told the BBC in an interview: "I love to represent my country as well and we can't change anything about that so we have to accept it and go away with our country, help our country and once it's finish we come back to our clubs and do the job." "I'm looking forward to it. I have never been there before and hopefully we can have a good tournament. We have some good players in the squad and we have to work hard and we will see what will happen in Angola. "We are in the two big tournaments and we did qualify a bit easy and in Africa is not easy but we will see what we can do." Essien is expected in Accra on Monday night to begin preparations with the rest of the Black Stars squad for Sunday's world cup qualifier against Mali in Kumasi.