Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has disclosed that the priority of every player in the EFL Championship, Watford is to return the club to the top flight division after suffering relegation from the Premier League season last season.
Okoye was acquired by Watford from Dutch outfit, Sparta Rotterdam during the last transfer window but was subsequently loaned back immediately for the remainder of the season, where he became a vital member of Sparta Rotterdam’s team in their battle for safety.
In an interview with Watford Observer, the 22-year-old goalie disclosed that the focus of every member of the Hornets’ squad is to gain promotion back to the Premier Leainsistinggue, when quizzed on what Watford would want to achieve ahead of the new season.
“I think in every player’s head is going back up to the Premier League. It’s important to have ambition.
“On a personal level, I just want to help fulfil that ambition for the other players and the club. The more playing time the better, but most of all I want to see myself grow as a person and a goalkeeper.
“If I can get playing time and improve then that is fantastic.”
Okoye also disclosed that he grew up watching English football and it has always been his dream to play in England.
“I grew up watching English football and it was always a dream to play in this country,” Okoye, who was born in Dusseldorf, Germany, continued.
“It does still feel like it’s a bit of a dream even now, so I need a few weeks of being around the training ground to remind me that I’m here now and I’ve made the step to English football.
“As a kid, it was English football I wanted to play in and now I’m going to put the work in to make that happen,” he said.
Okoye who named Brazilian and AC Milan legend Dida as his goalkeeping hero, has now joined teammates ahead of the new season where Watford compete in the second tier division of English football.
