Maduka Okoye expresses disappointment at having to watch Watford from the sidelines

SUPER Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has expressed his displeasure at having to sit on the bench at his English Championship clubside Watford  adding that he recent move to the Hornets has not worked out as planned.

In October last year, Okoye, 23, was sold by Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam to Watford for  €7m but then loaned back to the club until the end of the season. At the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign, he then joined Watford, hoping to establish himself as the club's number one goalkeeper but things have not panned out that way.

Okoye, who has been capped 16 times at international level by Nigeria, has not yet made a single Championship appearance for Watford this season. Although he believes he made the right decision to move to Vicarage Road, the goalkeeper has expressed his disquiet at how things have turned out since he came to England.

So far, Okoye  has only made one appearance for the Hornets this term, in the EFL Cup against MK Dons. Despite that, he said he remains optimistic that he made the right choice in joining Watford.

Okoye said: “Every goalkeeper who goes from the Netherlands to England has some problems at the start. I was told that I would have the time and the space to adapt to a new level and a new competition, so that I can eventually make the move.

“Some things are different in England than in the Netherlands, just take the physical aspect. Sports wise, it has not worked out as I had hoped, but we are sticking to the plan. At Sparta, I played every week and now I’m on the bench but that is something I had to get used to.

“I am still 100% behind my transfer because I did well in the Eredivisie and of course I could not stay with Sparta forever. I just keep working hard and want to show myself.”

Watford currently sit fifth in the Championship table as the clubs is aiming for promotion back to the Premier League at the end of the season. Okoye is hoping to be part of that success story and is looking forward to featuring in the English Premier League.