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UCHE POSED FOR A SHOT WITH TEAM MATES |
more pictures and interview after the cut
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| UCHE ON A 5KM WORKOUT |
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| UCHE UME WITH A FRIEND |
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UCHE UME
Ekranas legionnaire from Nigerian Uchenna Umeh represents the club for the third season in a row. In May of 2011, he came to Lithuania, and soon became an important part of the team.
During his career in the club, the player had great goals in international tournaments, and some hard moments, when last year, he couldn’t play due to illness. At the moment, the player’s healthy and full of energy.
This year, the footballer goes to the pitch in the second half and makes a significant contribution to the victory. His fighting capacity led to the situation after which Edvardsd Tamulevičius scored the third goal in the match against Daugavpils. In the match against Nevezis U.Umeh scored.
22 year old player told us about the homeland and a team’s prospects in a new A League season.
- Tell us about your holiday.
- It was perfect; after a long break I saw my family, friends and relatives. I spent nearly 11 months playing football in Lithuania playing football, of course, I missed my close environment. The free time was spent in his homeland in Kwara town, Anambra region, Nigeria. Now I’m preparing for a new season.
I was slightly training in my homeland, kept my shape, since I played only five months in the last season, later (since the beginning of August) I had a disease treatment.
- Nigeria is shrouded in a variety of rumors and stereotypes, it’s said it’s not safe place, and crime rate is high...
- My region is safe. Yes, there are some areas where Muslims are active. I feel comfortable with the place I live. I'm not saying that I live in paradise; there are some crimes, like everywhere! I invite you to come on a visit; you’ll see how safe it is. Plane ticket costs about 3500 litas.
- Nigerian national team will participate in the summer World Cup, what do Nigerians expect from their teams?
- Our team won the African Nations Cup last year and this is no coincidence. The team is really strong and deservedly won. Each participant in the World Cup dreams of the cup. Perhaps it’s not so realistic for Nigeria to win it, but I believe in that team. Semi-finals would be a great achievement. Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iran are in our group. I think it’s realistic to us to get to the eight finals.
- Is football is the main sport in Nigeria?
- Yes, we all love football. There are other popular sports, sometimes basketball team comes to the World Cup. However, the main public and media attention is on football. Athletics, tracking, other sports are popular, because Nigeria has nearly 170 million people, there are different interests, I’m interested in football only.
- Back in Lithuania, you found the changed team, without experienced players, and young ones were taken instead, what do you think about that?
- It’ll be interesting to play with young players in the A league, however, it won’t be easy. It seems that we will not have experienced players who can take the initiative. Perhaps we’ll lack of experience, but I believe that the season is gonna be interesting.
I represent the same team for the third season, this year my contract ends. I would like to try myself at a higher level, I want to improve and play better. A country is not important, the Polish Premier League is strong, and it would be interesting to go to Western Europe.
- You are in the club not for the first year, so you can claim to the captain’s and leader’s position.
- My aim is not to be exceptional team; by the way, there are more guys who represent the club not for a year, for example, Rytis Pilotas, Kornelijus Timofejevas. I want to be useful, play football; I’m not interested in who is captain or leader. Not one player determines the result, it’s the team.
- Are you afraid of responsibility being captain, leading the team?
- I do not know what to say (laughing). It's not my dream and aspiration to become a captain, I do not think about it at all. My job is to help the team. But if necessary, I can be captain in the pitch.
- Which young players can be the leaders in the A league season?
- We have a lot of talented young footballers. Martynas Duda, Tomas Salamanavicius came from Banga; they went to the Commonwealth Cup tournament. There are four more Ekranas players with them Dovydas Norvilas, Edgaras Baranauskas, Edvinas Girdvainis, Lukas Narbutas. Donatas Petrauaskas has much experience too. If all of these players remain the club and striker Lukas Kochanauskas joins the team, everything will be fine; the year will be interesting year. In addition, the team is trained by great coach Valdas Dambrauskas and Leonardo Iparraguirre.
- By the way, isn’t it strange that Leo is back after a year and a half?
- No. If he feels good here - why not. This is just the trainer's job, it is unpredictable.
- Are you happy in Panevezys, is this city your second home?
- I lived here for three years already; I'm familiar with the city and have friends here. I am happy here. If it be otherwise I would have looked for opportunities to go from here.
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