African Cup of Nations:Matt Spiro talks to Ghana's Michael Essien as he prepares for tomorrow's crucial quarter-final tie against Nigeria in Accra.
Luckily for Michael Essien, smiling is something that comes naturally. The Chelsea midfielder has been wearing the same broad grin for the last 30 minutes as he poses for photographs with each and every employee of the Fiesta Royale hotel in Accra.
Dozens of kitchen staff, cleaners, maintenance men, security guards, receptionists and doormen have been taking turns to stand proudly alongside Ghana's man of the moment. The scenes are manic, yet Essien remains calm, friendly and incredibly patient until the storm has passed. "It's been like that for the last two weeks," he says after finally being ushered from the crowds.
"Most days I spend two or three hours doing photos, but I don't mind. The people don't ask for anything, just pictures and autographs. I'm happy to give them something back. If I wasn't here I'd just be sitting in my bedroom."
Essien enjoys a god-like status in Ghana. His picture, with that same toothy smile, beams down from giant billboards throughout the capital, advertising anything from mobile phones to toothpaste and sportswear.
Skinny children decked in Chelsea shirts can be spotted everywhere, rushing about sandy pitches, chasing anything that vaguely resembles a ball and hoping they might one day emulate the man known in these parts as 'the plough'.
Since the 26th African Cup of Nations began, a country that was already soccer-obsessed has worked itself into an almighty frenzy. The front pages of newspapers are filled with soccer stories, television and radio shows constantly discuss the fortunes of the Black Stars, and tomorrow's quarter-final showdown with Nigeria is in the forefront of everybody's minds.
With captain Stephen Appiah injured, the nation is relying largely on Essien's class to carry the team to its first title since 1982, and the fifth overall. So far, the 25-year-old has delivered, winning the man-of-the match award in each of Ghana's three group games.
The weight of expectation is immense, but Essien appears totally unfazed. None of the hype has gone to his head and it would be hard to find a more down to earth or understated person anywhere. "I don't really think about everything that's going on away from the pitch," Essien says in soft, shy tones.
"I don't read the newspapers - that's not my thing. I watch TV sometimes and I know the only thing everyone is talking about is the tournament. The problem is, Ghana haven't done anything for a long time. We haven't won the Nations Cup in my lifetime and everybody expects us to end that run here. So, you see, there's no pressure at all," he laughs.
"All I'm doing is concentrating on the football and if we succeed it would be one of my greatest achievements. I'd be very proud."
Essien left his homeland for a career in Europe aged 17, and entered the world of Premier League millionaires in 2005 following his move to Stamford Bridge from Lyon.
THE PLUSH SURROUNDSof the Fulham Road certainly contrast vividly with the dusty streets of Accra, yet he is enjoying every minute of this extended period back home.
"I feel humbled when I come back," Essien says. "When I see the poverty here I realise how fortunate I am. Footballers are well paid and I feel we have a responsibility to do something.
"I grew up in Accra so it's been great to see my family on a regular basis. I've just been to see my mum, my cousins and my nephews. I still have my old friends here, too.
"I enjoy going out to the streets and kicking a ball with them like we used to. When I was young we used to kick whatever we could find - even some rolled up socks. My life has changed but those days aren't so far behind me."
That he has remained so close to his roots is largely down to his strong-willed mother, Aba, the person Essien says he "still listens to more than anybody".
Her character is so forthright she forms part of an elite list of people who can claim to have stood up to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson. During Essien's first trip to England, the Scot said he would only sign him on the condition he starts off with a loan spell in Belgium. She was having none of it and her son began in France with Bastia.
Tomorrow, Essien's mother will not be present to cheer her boy on at the Ohene Djan stadium. "She doesn't come to watch games," he explains. "She's too scared and gets very nervous. I try to calm her down and explain things, and then she can watch the games on TV."
She won't be the only one peaking nervously at a television set come kick-off time.
EXITING THE TOURNAMENTto Nigeria would be the ultimate embarrassment for Ghanaians, not just because the two West African nations are big sporting rivals, but also because the Super Eagles have been very poor so far and scarcely deserve to have qualified.
"It's a big match and it's going to be tough," Essien smiles. "I was pleased when I saw Nigeria had qualified because they're a rival and whenever we play them it's special."
On form, it should be no contest. The Black Stars may have suffered a mental block against Nigeria in recent times, but they ended a 15-year winless streak by thrashing them 4-1 in London last year. Furthermore, Claude Leroy's side turned in a swashbuckling display in their last game on Monday to beat Morocco 2-0.
Essien's performance against Morocco was nothing short of extraordinary. He was asked to play a more attacking midfield role than in the first two matches and seemed to be omnipresent, making crunching tackles in defence, surging forward at every opportunity, scoring the first goal and setting up the second.
"He's an inspiration - one of the best players in the world," was Leroy's post-match assessment.
"That was my best game for Ghana, but I don't know if I can say I'm in the form of my life. I just go out there, play where the boss asks me to play, and do my best," Essien says.
Followers of the Premier League have not yet seen the best of Essien in an attacking sense. For Chelsea, he is often prevented from making the kind of forward runs he so clearly enjoys, and Leroy is likely to unleash him again against Nigeria.
"I had a freer role against Morocco so I could go forward a lot. It was a bit like the role I had at Lyon. At Chelsea, I think I've learned a lot about discipline. I like going forward but I know I have to defend first."
The man looking to reduce Essien's influence tomorrow is another from the Chelsea school of tough tackling. Indeed, Blues coach Avram Grant may prefer not to tune in if Essien and his Nigerian counterpart John Obi Mikel are at their combative best.
"He's a great player," Essien says of Mikel. "He has the qualities to be one of the best. He's comfortable on the ball, he's very strong and he doesn't lose possession often. I don't know if there'll be strong tackles flying in. African football is different and the tackles are always there, but you just have to be careful.
"It'll be tough but one of us will end up on the winning side and I'll do my best to make sure it's me." Around 17 million Ghanaians will be praying that Essien's best proves good enough.
