Ace Sports Journalist Carl Tufuor has described as a colossal loss to the Black Stars, Michael Essien will not feature in the World Cup due to injury. The Chelsea star was ruled out of football’s biggest assembly on Thursday after doctors of Chelsea and the Ghana Football Association decided he will be fit only after July. He has been out since January after he picked up an injury at the Nation’s Cup. Varied opinions have been expressed about the absence of the mercurial midfielder, but Karl Tufuor believes no player in the Black Stars will be able to step into the shoes of Essien. Speaking to Joy FM’s Evans Mensah shortly after the news, Mr Tufuor was unequivocal in his statement about the effect the absence of Essien will have on the team. Like what an Argentina team will be without Lionel Messi, Mr Tufuor believes the Black Stars team has been dealt a big blow with the absence of Essien. He attributed Essien’s injury to the insistence by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to organize the Nation’s cup biennially, saying that exposes the African players to needless injuries. He has tipped a combined effort of Anthony Annan and Derek Boateng to fit into the shoes of Essien. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana