Andre Ayew is determined to show West Ham United fans his best form when he returns to full match-fitness.
The forward started his first Premier League game since the opening weekend in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City, having recently returned from nearly three months out with a groin injury.
The 26-year-old is currently away captaining Ghana in their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Egypt and hopes to return to Rush Green in top shape ahead of the Hammers’ top-flight trip to Tottenham Hotspur on 19 November.
First off, how are you feeling after Saturday’s game?
“The fitness is coming back. I am not yet at my best, but it’s only with games that I will get back to my best. It was a very important injury [that I suffered], but I am getting back and hopefully pretty soon I will be at 100 per cent.
“I more or less know the team and how we want to play, so now it’s about me getting 100 per cent fit and after that I can bring my quality to the squad.
“I am very confident and we have great players in the team and great management so hopefully everything will be OK very soon.”
What did you make of our performance against Stoke?
“We didn’t have our best of games. We were a bit slow on the ball and we didn’t put in the intensity that we wanted, but I think we scored the first goal and we should have at least held on to win, even if it wasn’t pretty.
“OK, we are disappointed not to get the points, but we need to look at the next game coming up, prepare and try to do something there.”
I am very confident and we have great players in the team and great management so hopefully everything will be OK very soon
Andre Ayew
That next game will be at White Hart Lane…
“It’s a big game. It’s a London derby and everybody is going to be ready. Some of us will be away working with our national teams, while the boys at Rush Green will get back some energy and release their minds and prepare themselves for that game. It is going to be an important game for us.”
In the meantime, you are off to Alexandria for a big World Cup Group E qualifier with Egypt, having drawn 0-0 at home with Uganda in your first match. You will be Ghana’s captain, which is a big honour?
“Yes, it’s a very, very important game for us. We drew our first game at home and now we are going to Egypt, which is a very difficult one for us, so we need to prepare well.
“I am not 100 per cent but I will try to give my best for my country and hopefully get a win and, at the same time, get more game-time.”