Werder striker Anthony Ujah is in his third season in the Bundesliga. Now 25, he transferred to Germany's top division in 2011 when he moved to league rivals Mainz 05. One year...
Werder striker Anthony Ujah is in his third season in the Bundesliga. Now 25, he transferred to Germany's top division in 2011 when he moved to league rivals Mainz 05. One year...
Werder striker Anthony Ujah is in his third season in the Bundesliga. Now 25, he transferred to Germany's top division in 2011 when he moved to league rivals Mainz 05. One year later, he made the switch to 1. FC Köln, before joining the Green-Whites for the start of the current season. The Nigerian has good memories of his former clubs, something which puts him in good stead for what he describes as "our situation."
Wednesday spelled the start of a vital week for Anthony Ujah and SV Werder. Having lost their previous five matches, the two upcoming fixtures could determine the direction of their season. On Saturday, Werder meet Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga, before taking on 1. FC Köln four days later in the DFB Cup. Two wins would put the Green-Whites back on track, and with that in mind, Ujah is confident: "I'm sure we'll come back from our recent setbacks. We need to look forward with optimism, and we're doing just that!"
In order to remain confident, "we need to work together as a team and keep fighting. Our team has quality!" said Ujah, aiming his next words at his teammates: "We need to keep believing!" Pure optimism alone, however, is not enough in situations like this. The Green-Whites are lacking points, and they need to pick some up this week. "The team has shown in recent times, above all in the last game, that they can come from the bottom to the top. We need to change our current situation as quickly as possible. We need a positive result right now," said the attacker.

The Nigerian will face one of his former sides in each of the next two important games. "It's not really relevant; I'm not thinking about it. On the contrary, I'm only thinking about our own situation. I want to win both games," said Ujah. He already has a plan ready for the next games: "If we get stuck in, run well and fight hard, we'll definitely achieve something!"
Alongside a willingness to run and battle, it is also necessary to thoroughly prepare for an opponent. Ujah can particularly help with regards to the cup game against Köln: "It doesn't surprise me that Köln have done so well up until now. They have a good squad and a good manager. They close down space and don't allow many chances at the back. You have to take that into account when you face them. In addition, they always give everything they have to create chances of their own, and you need to watch out for them on the break," Ujah added, having spent three years there.
Despite all his praise for his ex-teams, there was one thing Ujah wished to clarify: "I have no emotions going into the two games. Obviously I stay in contact with a few of my former teammates, but I've moved here because Werder are a great side with a lot of tradition. For me, it's only about us and about how we can get back on track." Wins against Ujah's former teams Mainz and Köln would be a good way to achieve this.
