Black Stars midfielder Michael Essien has denied claims he refused to warm up before Ghana's final group game against Portugal at the 2014 World Cup.

Appearing before the presidential commission investigating Ghana's botched World Cup appearance through skype, the AC Milan enforcer also defended sacked Black Stars coach Kwasi Appiah.

In a conversation which was in camera and which lasted for about an hour, Essien said Kwasi Appiah did not lose the dressing room and that the players cooperated well with him- the same way they cooperated with other foreign coaches in the past.

Sources at the Commission reported Essien as saying the players did not have any problem at all with the delay in the payment of their appearance fees. Rather what they felt offended about was the many promises to pay- promises which were broken many times.

According to him, players play for pride and it's an honour to play for Ghana, reminding the Commission members how he sacrificed playing for Ghana after nine surgeries.

He also stated that there are too many people around the team during international assignments and that should be checked.