Will Chidera Ejuke become the X factor for Hertha coach Dardai?

Hertha coach Pal Dardai has high hopes for returnee Chidera Ejuke.

IMAGO/Nordphoto

Pal Dardai gave the left winger a good ten minutes when he returned as coach – and threw his own plans overboard. Actually, says the Hungarian, “my plan was to let Chidi train properly again” before letting him play in the league again. Then everything went a little faster for the man who suffered a ligament injury in his knee in the friendly against The Villages SC (7:1) in January’s training camp in Bradenton/Florida.

Dardai, no doubt, has high hopes for the final stages of the season from the Nigerian international, who Hertha took on a season-long loan from CSKA Moscow last summer. “He’s an important player for us with his one-on-ones,” praises Dardai, “he can put opponents under pressure.”

Indeed: Ejuke, who left his home country for Europe at the age of 19 and went to CSKA Moscow via Norway (Valerenga Oslo) and the Netherlands (SC Heerenveen) in August 2020 for a fee of 11.5 million euros , thanks to his pace and feints, has an unpredictability and dynamism that is good for Hertha’s game. On good days, he mixes up the opponents in rows. The problem: Up until now, efficiency and decision-making often did not go together. After 16 Bundesliga appearances, Ejuke is still without a goal (three assists) – and still one of the hopes for the end of the season.

Dardai’s plan: “I hope he stays healthy. We’re building Chidi up so that he’ll be in top shape for the next home game (on May 6 against VfB Stuttgart, ed.).” Before that, on Sunday, a high away hurdle awaits with champions FC Bayern. It can be assumed that Dardai will take his fastest player with him on a business trip to the south. Ejuke has a top speed of 35.04 km/h this season. That’s first place in the team ahead of Dodi Lukebakio (34.97 km/h) – and 32nd in the league. That no Hertha professional ranks among the fastest 30 players in the league and only three in the top 100 (next to Ejuke and Lukebakio, Filip Uremovic at 34.36 km/h in 78th place), that also says something about a squad composition that failed not only in terms of speed.