The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Watford

  • Watford, Udinese, track Eaglets duo

    Watford, Udinese, track Eaglets duo

    English Premier League side Watford, Serie A outfit Udinese and La Liga’s Granada are tracking David Enogela and Joel Osikel, who featured for Nigeria at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

    “Watford, Udinese and Granada are owned by the same Italian family and they are interested in David (Enogela) and Joel (Osikel),”a source told africanFootball.com.

    “The documentation they asked for has been finally sent to them and it is left for their officials to decide on what next.”

    The duo are midfielders with Enogela playing in all seven matches as Nigeria won a fifth U-17 World Cup November, while Osikel featured in two matches.

  • I’m not leaving Watford – Ighalo

    I’m not leaving Watford – Ighalo

    Watford striker, Odion Ighalo, has dismissed speculation linking him with a move away from Vicarage Road.

    The Super Eagles striker has scored 14 Premier League goals this season and, according to reports, has attracted interest from Atletico Madrid.

    “I want to finish the season strongly with Watford and prove that we have a good bunch of players here,” the 26-year-old told the BBC.

    “When the focus is on a strong finish, transfer talk will not get to you.”

    Ighalo, who joined the Hornets from Udinese in 2014, scored more goals in English league football than any other player in 2015.

    And his tally of goals in the 2015-16 Premier League is bettered only by Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Romelu Lukaku of Everton.

    “I haven’t really bothered myself about statistics because I’ve always had my feet on the ground and I never forget where I come from,” Ighalo said.

    “I am just focused on getting better, doing things right on the pitch and being myself on the pitch.”

  • Watford will not sell Ighalo

    Watford will not sell Ighalo

    Watford on Friday issued a statement insisting that Nigeria striker, Odion Ighalo, is not for sale “under any circumstances.”

    The winter transfer window opens on Friday, africanFootball.com reports.

    Watford lies eighth on the English Premier League table thanks largely to the 14 goals scored by Ighalo for the Hornets.

    Ighalo has been linked with a transfer to Spanish side Atletico Madrid as well as Italian club Roma with Atletico credited with a 12 million pounds bid for the 26-year-old striker.

    He also turned down “a crazy deal” from China before the start of the season.

     

  • Why Watford dropped Babatunde

    Why Watford dropped Babatunde

    Allnigeriasoccer.com   has been informed that Watford turned down the opportunity to sign Michael Babatunde in the summer.

    Representatives of the Nigeria international had proposed him to the Hornets prior to his switch to Ukraine but the English Premier League club refused to do business, saying he did not fit the profile of the players they were in the market for.

    Watford chiefs did not entirely lock up Babatunde’s case in the drawer as he was advised through his reps to try his luck in a league outside the top five in Europe before dreaming of a Premier League move.

    The attacking midfielder signed for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in July but parted company with the club earlier this month.

    Babatunde, 22, has played nonstop in Ukraine for the past four years but is seeking new pastures in the January transfer window.

  • I turned down ‘Crazy Money’ to remain with Watford – Ighalo

    I turned down ‘Crazy Money’ to remain with Watford – Ighalo

    Nigeria and Watford FC Striker, Odion Ighalo has revealed he had sleepless nights weighing up a lucrative move to the Chinese Premier League.

    The 27-year-old has struck eight times this season for the Hornets with the latest coming against Aston Villa over the weekend.

    Ighalo told footballlive.ng that he considered a move to the Asia country but became restless for three  nights while contemplating the move which he eventually turned down.

    ‘I got a big money offer to join a Chinese team. But I don’t think everything has to come down to money.

    ‘I may not be as wealthy as Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi but I’ve worked hard for this team and this is my dream. The club sent their representatives and they met with our Directors in London. I couldn’t sleep for three days but knowing how I helped the team gain qualification from the championship I could not leave,”he said.

  • Watford’s survival is top priority – Ighalo

    Watford’s survival is top priority – Ighalo

    Watford striker, Odion Ighalo, has said his club survival in the English Premier League will be his major priority this season.

    Ighalo has scored four goals to emerge as one of the leading scorers in the EPL this season.

    “I don’t have a goals’ target as long as my team win, that’s the most important thing. I don’t care who scores,” Ighalo told africanFootball.com.

    “It will be great to end up as top scorer in the EPL, but I’m not thinking about that. I just want to take it game after game and help my team win.

    “The only secret I have is God, I feel great with my performance so far and my goals. But I’m not getting carried away. I want to keep working hard and learning every day.”

     

  • Ighalo on target as Watford go top

    Ighalo on target as Watford go top

    Super Eagles forward, Odion Ighalo, was on target for Watford, as they defeated Middlesbrough 2-0 to go top of the English Championship standings.

    The first among many Easter Monday games in the Championship, saw Watford open scoring through Ighalo’s strike partner Troy Deeney.

    25-year-old Ighalo, who scored in the team’s weekend game with 16 minutes left to play, scored his 19th goal of the season but his side’s second of the game to take the scores to 2-0.

    The victory moved Watford ahead of Middlesbrough, although Ighalo’s side might still lose top spot depending on results elsewhere in the English Championship later in the day.

    While Ighalo scored and continues to aid Watford’s push for promotion to the English Premier League, his Nigerian compatriot at Middlesbrough, Kenneth Omeruo wasn’t listed by his side.

    Omeruo’s absence might be connected with the groin injury he picked up while on duty with Nigeria, although Boro claimed he has recovered.

    Since the turn of the year the on-loan Chelsea defender has struggled to hold down a spot in the Boro side, a far cry from his loan spell there last season.

  • Ighalo: Watford will fight their way back to EPL

    Ighalo: Watford will fight their way back to EPL


    Your career has been on the  high since you move to Watford, what’s the secret?

    IGHALO: Well, not when I joined Watford but right from my time in Spain with Granada. It was only last season that was bad because I had an injury that kept me out for four months. Here in England, I think I am getting used to the league and it suits me. It was not easy in the beginning but hard work is paying off.

     

    Watford missed promotion last season, are you sure the team will make it this season?

    Yes, we can, we have good quality players and management.  But we still need to work hard because there are good teams in the league who want promotion tickets too.

     

    You have scored 17 goals already, any number of goals you wish to score?

    If I can reach the 20-goal mark, I will be happy but I don’t have a target. I don’t want to put myself under unnecessary pressure. I will just keep working hard.

     

    What can you say about Italian, Spanish and English leagues?

    The league in Spain is all about skills and ball possession. In Italy, it is physical and more tactical. Here in the English Championship, it is physical and tough, the tempo here in England is high, you must be fit and ready to run from the beginning of the game till the end.

     

    What are your set goals for the season?

    Promotion to the premier league is my priority, any other thing that follow is a bonus.

     

    Did you have your parents’ backing when started playing the game?

    My dad was not happy with me playing football from the beginning because he wanted me to go to school and be a graduate like some of my brothers and sisters. In fact he would beat me up when I went out to play football, but he is now a proud father.

     

    What exactly did he want you to become?

    I would have become a lawyer today.

     

    You have played for Nigeria’s U-20 team, do you dream of appearing for the Super Eagles?

    Yes, of course. It is every footballer’s dream to play for the national team. So, I am patiently waiting for my time to get into the Super Eagles.

     

    Who is the biggest football personality you have met?

    That has to be Samuel Eto’o.  It was three years ago while I was with Udinese. We played against his team, at that time Anzhi, in a Europa League game. He is a legend and a very humble man. In fact, he gave me his jersey.

     

    What did he tell you?

    He advised me to be humble and keep working hard.

     

    What has becoming a family man done to you and your career?

    It changed everything about me, I know some people depend on me and I don’t think about myself only before I do anything but think about my family in making decisions.

     

    Which is your toughest game for Watford so far?

    That was the recent game against Blackburn Rovers. They were too physical.

     

    What do you do at your leisure time?

    I watch sport channels and Nigerian movies. Other times I sleep.

     

    Who are your favourite actors?

    Mr. Ibu, Nkem Owoh and Charles Inoje

  • Ighalo signs permanent Watford deal

    Ighalo signs permanent Watford deal

    Former Flying Eagles captain, Odion Ighalo, has sealed a permanent deal with English Championship side Watford.

    He will now stay with Watford till the summer of 2017 after he penned a two-and-a-half-year deal with “The Hornets” on Friday, africanFootball.com reports.

    He joined the team initially on a season-long loan from Italian Serie A side Udinese in the summer.

    He has scored three times in four Championship starts so far this season.

    The Nigeria striker said the target is English Premier League action next season after he grabbed his third for Watford in a 2-2 home draw with Nottingham Forest.

    Watford now lies second on the table with 25 points from 13 games, a point behind leaders Derby County.

    “Promotion is still our target, but it is too early to talk much about that. We just want to take it game by game, the league is difficult and very long,” Ighalo told africanFootball.com.

  • Watford not happy with Ogo Obi

    Watford not happy with Ogo Obi

    According to reports sourced by SL10 from local media in Watford, Watford FC are angry over the minimal compensation they will receive when the highly rated Nigeria teenager Ogo Obi’s move to Manchester United is complete.

    Obi looks set to join Manchester United after helping their youth team retain the Milk Cup while on trial, but Watford are likely to receive approximately £130,000 for the talented 16-year-old.

    It is believed Watford Chairman Raffaele Riva is unhappy over the pay due to them as compensation for Ogo Obi from Manchester United, and he is presently seeking the teenager sign a year deal aside an offering for a scholarship.

    However, Obi turned down Watford initial approach before heading on trial with Manchester United at the Milk Cup where he scored three goals in four games to push his claim to be offered a deal by the Red Devils.

    If Obi insistson refusing the offer from Watford as it currently stands he will be expected to sign a professional contract Manchester United when he turns 17 later in the year.

    In the past, a tribunal system decided how much clubs were entitled to when young players leave for other teams.

    But the introduction of the hugely controversial Elite Player Performance Plan (EPP) created by the Premier League means sums have reduced drastically for teen transfers.

    In line with that, Watford are only entitled to around £130,000 for the 16-year-old as a training and compensation grant.