Kweku Essien Kweku Essien Essien began his professional career 2003 at Asante Kotoko but left the club in 2005 and moved to F.C. Maamobi. The central midfielder had a very good season at F.C. Maamobi in the 2005–06 Ghana Premier League season but was loaned out to Accra Hearts of Oak SC for $60,000 until June 2007. He was outstanding for King Faisal in their Premier League campaign, picking up 10 Most Valuable Player awards in the season. In 2007, he failed another trial, this time with Austrian side Sturm Graz. So far the MVP of Ghana football league for 2006–07 has
Michael Essien to gain favour with manager André Villas-Boas. On 21 February 2012, during a Champions League match against Napoli, Villas-Boas left Frank Lampard, Essien and Ashley Cole on the substitutes' bench. Chelsea lost 3–1 and the club's technical director asked for an explanation of the team selection on behalf of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. On 4 March 2012, following a 1–0 league defeat against West Brom which left Chelsea three points adrift of Arsenal in the battle for fourth place in the Premier League, Villas-Boas' employment was terminated by Chelsea, with assistant manager Roberto Di Matteo being appointed as caretaker manager