These stories are samples pulled from external media sources. They do not represent the views or position of Chelsea Football Club.

Essien details his experience in Denmark

Michael Essien is the latest Chelsea legend to enter coaching after the former midfielder joined Nordsjaelland’s backroom staff in Denmark.

The Ghanaian joined the Wild Tigers in September after spending time as a player-coach in Azerbaijan.

‘This transition in my career, learning about the coaching aspect of the game is important to me and FC Nordsjaelland has offered me this huge opportunity,’ the 38-year-old said in a report by goal.com.

‘Not many people get the opportunity to come here and learn and see how they do things here.’

Essien has followed in the footsteps of Frank Lampard and John Terry by entering coaching after hanging up his boots. He also feels like this is a wonderful opportunity and doesn’t want to let it pass him by.

‘Since I came, the staff and players; everyone is willing to help and it’s lovely. How could I turn this opportunity down?’

With his experience, Essien still has a lot to offer the football world. He won the Champions League in 2012 and two Premier League titles with the Blues. He also represented Ghana at the 2006 and 2014 World Cup tournaments.

Bamford reveals Terry toughened him up

Leeds striker Patrick Bamford believes training with John Terry as a youngster at Chelsea toughened him up.

Bamford was with the Blues for five years and trained closely with our former captain. The striker never played first-team football at Stamford Bridge but still remembers those training sessions as big lessons.

Speaking on the Official Leeds United Podcast, the 27-year-old shared how Terry helped him develop.

‘I have got to be honest and say he was nice,’ Bamford said. ‘He was a good captain, put a lot of time aside for the young lads and made you feel welcome.’

Terry ended his career without facing Bamford, but the striker remembers how he toughened up all the young players at the training ground.

‘In training, he was not scared to, even if you were young, he would go down the back of your heels and stuff.

‘So, I think he was good for the youngsters, toughened you up and got you ready, but I have not played him in a match.’

Hartlepool goalkeeper on experience at Cobham

Hartlepool goalkeeper Ben Killip has labelled Cobham as one of the best academies in the world.

Killip spent more than 10 years in the Chelsea Academy before leaving for Norwich at 18.

Talking to BBC Radio Tees Sport, he revealed how Cobham shaped him as the player he is today.

‘It was one of the best academies in the world,’ he said. ‘I played with some ridiculously good players who are still at the top level now.’

The 25-year-old played in the same team as Blues centre-back Andreas Christensen, Ruben Loftus-Cheek who is on loan at Fulham and Manchester City’s Nathan Ake.

‘It was so beneficial playing and training with them every day and you travelled to some amazing places in the world on tours which is a good life experience.’

The goalkeeper spent time at Grimsby Town and Braintree before joining Hartlepool in 2019. He is set to make his 50th appearance this weekend.

‘The way Chelsea played when I was a kid was all about playing out from the back and having a modern-day keeper.

‘It’s what a lot more managers look for nowadays, so it’s helped me that I have had that grounding of doing that style of goalkeeping from a very young age – it was unbelievable for me.’