chelsea in ghana

[dkw]

just watched this on chelsea tv and thought it was fantastic. jose, the backroom staff, essien and several reserve team players visited the country for about a week and did some fantastic work. unsurprisingly no mention in the press at all. but a big well done to the club.

[Lofty]

No I haven't seen anything in the press or on TV. There's this on the official site though:

CHELSEA IN GHANA: BIG WELCOME AS THE COACHING BEGINS

[Kev123]

I read a full page article about a week ago in one of the major papers, nothing since though

[Guest Brian M]

Call me cynical, but I think there's possibly another reason for this sudden, African 'good will' tour. And it wouldn't have something to do with Chelsea trying to show the African nations that 'Chelsea care about African players', so the countries involved with Chelsea will be more likely to be persuaded to let the Chelsea players join up with their team mates later would it? Thus ensuring Chelsea have them for a couple more very vital weeks in the EPL...

Don't recall Chelsea deeming it necessary to go to Africa last summer...

[Lofty]

It's more likely to be an exercise in global marketing tapping into the African fanbase, and maybe an opportunity to establish or enhance a scouting network in Africa.

[Guest Brian M]

If it was Asia or America I'd buy that. But African nations are poor and they don't have a great deal of money to spend on things such as replica shirts, when they don't even have enough to buy a pair of shoes... (broad generalization, but you know what I mean)

This visit is like the cowboys trying to sit down for a 'peace-pipe' with the Indians, for no other reason than because there happens to be a bunch of settlers coming through in wagons and the cowboys would rather everyone got on...at least until after the wagons have passed...and then all bets are off again!

[Lofty]

Well ok, maybe a scouting base would be a more lucrative investment than a fan base. But even so, a little goodwill goes a long way.

[Guest Brian M]

Well ok, maybe a scouting base would be a more lucrative investment than a fan base. But even so, a little goodwill goes a long way.

Agree Lofty. The right thing done for the wrong reasons, can still be viewed as 'the right thing to do'.

What's that old argument...if a man saves a drowning child just because he knows the kid is the son of the richest man in town, and that if he saves him he'll be guaranteed a huge reward. Does saving the boy's life still count as a good deed when he sits before his maker and presents his book of reckoning?

[callista]

Actually to be fair to the press for once, there have been articles about this trip.

Jose attracts comment wherever he goes and here are some links below.

And yes, the cynical amongst us could think this was some glad handing mission to try and get some of our players released later for the ANC but even if it was I think what Jose, Essien and the Chelsea team did down in Ghana was fantastic and the people there certainly appeared to appreciate it.

Chelsea are no spent force

Essien makes heros' return

Mourinho bonds with Chelsea's softer side

Chelsea midfielder an inspiration

I think Jose is a very modern manager and he looks at all these kind of projects as serving a dual purpose, they help the club's profile, may be an aid him player/profile wise and also help the people there who love football but do not have the basics needed to make their dreams turn into a reality.

I don't see any other top flight manager's doing this kind of thing - he also did something similar a few years back in Israel for kids.

Whatever the reasons behind the visit, bottom line it's for a good cause and it's no small thing going all the way down to Ghana when you could be on your well earned holidays - so it shows his commitment to putting something back.

And I genuinely believe he thinks a lot of Essien - great player and more importantly a great man and credit to his country. He has certainly shown his worth to the team having to play in defence and midfield seemingly without complaint - he can be a real star next year in our midfield (not our defence!).