At the age of 18 Odion Ighalo had to make one of the hardest decisions of his life. Leave Nigeria for Norway in hope of becoming a professional footballer or stay with his family in his native country?

The Watford striker, who was dubbed a 'Mummy’s boy' by his friends in Nigeria, has no doubt he made the right choice.

"Leaving Nigeria at that age for such a different country was very hard," he said.

"In Oslo it is very cold and I went without my parents or my brothers.

"Several of my friends also travelled to Norway but they could not keep going. They had trials but they couldn’t do it because the weather was so cold.

"There were players who were more talented than me at the grassroots level but they didn’t make it in professional football.

"I wanted to leave Africa. I wanted to play football in Europe against the best players in the world."

And he has done. Prior to joining Watford, initially on loan in the summer, the 25-year-old had spent five years in Spain with fellow Pozzo owned club Granada.

He was on loan for the duration of his stay in the south of Spain from Udinese, who had signed him from Norwegian club Lyn in 2008.

During his time at El Graná Ighalo scored vital goals and helped the club rise from the third tier of Spanish football to the top flight, La Liga.

He netted against Lionel Messi’s Barcelona and helped the side defeat Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid.

Ighalo is a Granada legend but he wanted a change. He wanted English football. He almost joined Watford last summer but a pre-season injury scuppered a move.

A deal to bring the striker to Watford, which was seemingly on the cards since the Pozzo takeover in 2012, was completed in July.

"I spent five years at Granada and had, so far, the best moments in my career there," he said.

"Leaving Granada was not easy. I scored the goal that got Granada to La Liga and then played three seasons in the top division.

"In that first season, we were expected to go down but I scored the goal that kept them up.

"The fans loved me there and I loved the fans. They always chanted my name even if things weren’t going well for me.

"So leaving Granada was difficult but I had to think about my future. Coming to England was a big step for me."

His Watford career began with sporadic appearances from the substitute’s bench but an injury to Troy Deeney gave him a regular chance in the Hornets side.

He scored three times in five starts whilst Deeney was absent and his loan deal was then made permanent.

Ighalo, for the first time in five years, was no longer a loanee from Udinese. He has a club he could call home.

"Joining Watford permanently was my decision, not the Pozzos’ decision," he said. "The Pozzos can’t tell me to join Watford permanently.

"When I signed on loan at Watford, I discussed with my agent and with the Pozzos about making the deal permanent.

"They told me to wait and see how the season progressed. I don’t want to go on loan anywhere any more.

"This is a great opportunity for me to play in England and reach the Premier League with Watford."

The rough and tumble of the Championship is a world away from the technical and slower pace of Spanish football.

Ighalo, who was speaking prior to Watford's defeats against Birmingham City and Ipwich Town, has had to adapt his game and believes he will continue to improve as he plays more matches in England's second tier.

He said: "In Spain the ball is more on the ground and players have more touches but here the ball is off the ground, it’s physical and you have to fight.

"You have to give 100 per cent from the beginning to the end. In Spain, if someone is winning after 80 minutes, the tempo drops. Here it doesn’t change.

"Watford could play in La Liga. Where they would finish? I don’t know.

"The Spanish game is about playing football and Watford have a good team to do that. So if Watford were in La Liga, with this squad, I think they would do well."

Ighalo has quickly settled in to life in England and will be shortly be joined by his family.

He says he enjoys the "strict rules" set out by the English FA and believes players are well looked after in this country by their clubs.

Watford Observer:

His fondness for England is perhaps typified by the fact he likes a good chat about the weather.

"I want to be in England but you can’t compare the weather in England to Spain and Granada," he explained with a smile.

"There it was always sunny and I was close to the beach.

"I am a professional though and I have to adapt. I love it here and playing football is my job, I don’t think about anything else."

Solely focusing on football has probably been a good strategy for Watford’s players given the managerial merry-go-round at the club this season.

The Hornets have parted company, for differing reasons, with Beppe Sannino, Oscar Garcia and Billy McKinlay.

Slavisa Jokanovic - who arrived at Vicarage Road on October 7 - is now in charge and is the Golden Boys’ longest serving manager of the campaign.

The decision to replace head coaches, bar Garcia who resigned due to health issues, was made by Gino Pozzo - someone Ighalo describes as a "serious man".

He said: "It is a bit funny and I have not seen that throughout my whole career. In my five years at Granada we have four of five coaches, so one every season.

"I am not the owner though. He knows what he wants and what he is looking for. I’ve known Gino Pozzo for eight years now and he is a serious man.

"He was the first person to speak to me when I was playing in Norway and he told me he wanted me to come to Udinese.

"So I know what he wants. He wants Watford in the Premier League. He knows what he is doing. We have to support him and support any coach that comes into the club."

So both Pozzo and Ighalo share the same goal; Premier League football at Watford.

"I have been watching the Premier League, I was a Manchester United fan, since I was playing grassroots football in Nigeria. I have always dreamed that I would one day be there.

"When I came to Europe I wanted to play in England and La Liga. I have played in La Liga and I have faced some of the best like Ronaldo and Messi.

"My dream remains the Premier League. One day I will get there with Watford."