MICHAEL ESSIEN

Together with Milan and our media team, we released a statement clearly stating it was a hoax and there was no truth in the rumour that I had Ebola. And that's when the whole thing started to die down. Still, it took about two days or so for people to actually stop talking about it.

I sleep 14 hours a day. That helps me get the energy you see on the pitch.

I had always said I will like to play for Milan at some stage in my career, so when the opportunity came up, I grabbed it with both hands.

I'm the kind of person who likes to be lonely. I got my head down and focused on getting fit.

I had a fantastic career at Chelsea. I was here for almost nine years, and it was great. I have nothing negative to say at all. It was all positive.

My children have to know where they come from and the way of life in Africa.

I like watching tennis and basketball, but it's not every day you can watch it on TV. I don't play them, though.

I've been following some of the coaches, trying to get a little bit more experience, because coaching is very different from being a player.

Milan is good, and I am settling in nicely, which is important. Everyone is friendly at the club and are looking after me well, so I can't complain.

Highs have to be all the trophies I won with Chelsea over the 8-9 years I was with them there. We had a good group, and we were winners from the goal keeper right throughout the team. These are the highs you never forget as a player.

I'm a man of few words. I don't really like talking.

Poverty is everywhere, but in Africa, there is more.

As a kid, I always wanted to play in Europe.

I always spend my summer in Ghana. I don't go anywhere else.

I like Singapore; it is very clean. People speak English and are warm.

I still feel Ghanaian, but my mentality is more European.

I'm not a difficult person. I just want to enjoy my football until I hang up my boots.

As a young boy, all we used to watch was the Premier League at that time. I know the FA cup is quite important. It's as important as the Premier League in England. And I had a chance to win it over our biggest rival, and it was also in the new Wembley. It was a great moment.

It's a big surprise for me because if somebody asked me when I was playing if Frank Lampard would be a manager, I would say no because he's very quiet.

When I was little, my dream was to come and play in the Premier League. So when Chelsea came in, I said yes straight away.

I want to give back to my community, little things I think they need. I went there to open a borehole and a public lavatory and give them a book about myself that we wrote with 'Right to Play.'

Indonesia was good - and crazy, too! It was a great experience to play there. I enjoyed the football. It wasn't easy. It's very hot.

Ghanaians and English people enjoy football the same.

Everything is good at Cobham. I really enjoy it here. I always have a bit of treatment in the morning, and then I go training. It's good.

I've played at the highest level, so I'm just looking forward to enjoying the football, so anywhere there is interest, then yeah. I will consider it.