Rich meet poor as Essien brings joy to Ghanaian children

ACCRA, June 2 (Reuters) Michael Essien brought a little Premier League magic to hundreds of excited Ghanaian children when he turned up to play with them and pose for photos today.

The dilapidated children's park in the steamy African city of Accra is a world away from the plush training facilities enjoyed by Premier League aristocrats Chelsea.

The London club made its first humanitarian visit to Africa this week, sending Ghana international Essien, manager Jose Mourinho and several young players to support the work of charity Right to Play, which uses sport to raise awareness about poverty, disease and war.

By eight o'clock on Saturday morning, small crowds had gathered to watch and cheer the apparently shy Chelsea Player of the Year, taking pictures of him on their mobile phones.

''He is a good player, he has made Ghana proud, he has made the whole of Africa proud.'' said police motorbike rider Osei Agyekum, who escorted the star and team to the park.

''I think he is a cool guy and handsome and humble,'' said 14-year-old Collins Asare.

The only ones disappointed were journalists, as Essien declined to talk to them.

Ghanaians are passionate about soccer. The game is frequently played here by barefoot children on street corners with little more than a tin can to kick about, a far cry from the facilities on offer at top European clubs.

''The facilities, the mud huts we have seen ... I was expecting it because I have seen it on television but the fact that young children have to go and play on gravel with no shoes is amazing,'' said Chelsea youth player Sam Hutchinson. ''It was my first time to Africa, it won't be my last.'' Mourinho was not present today but in a statement distributed by Chelsea he said the club had a responsibility to use its crowd-drawing power to try to help children around the world facing disease, conflict and poverty.

''Football can and should help with this ... It is a world language,'' he said.

''If you are in London, Lisbon or Accra, if you put down two pieces of clothing for a goal and wrap some paper into a ball and start to kick it, everyone knows what you are doing''.

REUTERS AKD RK2148