Watford FC has re-hired Javi Gracia to be their new head coach. This will be his second spell at the club after enjoying great success previously. Gracia takes the reins from fellow Uruguayan Paulo Pezzolano, who was sacked after just five months in charge. This has been such a stormy time for the club. Yet it has only recently emerged from a decade of extensive turnover of managers.
In reality, Pezzolano’s tenure was limited to just five months, starting May 13 when he replaced Tom Cleverley. He had previously guided the team with great achievement in the transfer market. His production in the Championship was all over the place. He guided the team through ten competitive fixtures, finishing with a 2-1 win over Oxford in his last appearance in charge.
Gracia’s Previous Success with Watford
Javi Gracia previously managed Watford from January 2018 to September 2019, during which he achieved notable success. Under his leadership, the team achieved safety in the Premier League and staged an upset-filled FA Cup run to the 2019 FA Cup final. They ultimately ended that season 11th in the league, a testament to Gracia’s ability to lead the club out of difficult situations.
His previous stint with Watford certainly puts him ahead going into this new takeover. Chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury is as bullish on Gracia’s talent as he is on the new project. He pulled out all the stops to get him back to the club. Gracia’s knowledge of Watford’s culture and internal structure should aid in providing a steadying presence for the team while they again navigate this transitional period.
Pezzolano’s Departure and Reflections
Paulo Pezzolano’s sacking would be the twelfth managerial replacement for Watford in the last five years alone. Much like his ascendancy, his brief reign was marked by remarkable challenges. Fans experienced a strong disconnect since he only did interviews in Spanish. Though Pezzolano was thankful for the time spent at the club, he understood the harsh reality of the challenges that were presented.
“I want to thank the players for their attitude, commitment, and the respect they have shown towards me and the entire coaching staff. My thanks also go to all the club employees, whose daily effort and cooperation we value deeply.” – Paulo Pezzolano
Pezzolano is adamant the group is heading in the proper direction. They have every intention of doing so, working triple time to achieve promotion back to the Premier League. Perhaps most incredibly, the Watford hierarchy clearly and courageously decided that a change was needed to better pursue their ambitious goals, thus making the decision.
“Watford FC have told me that our paths are going separate ways. After months of intense work at every level, the results showed that we were building in the right direction to reach our goal of returning to the Premier League this season, with a squad capable of achieving it. We had full confidence in that and a firm belief that we could do it, always staying true to our principles.” – Paulo Pezzolano
Looking Forward
Under Gracia’s leadership, Watford FC is hoping to find its competitive spirit again and this time, work their way up to promotion. His track record at the helm of the club and achievement in high-pressure, no-win scenarios makes him the ideal candidate for this challenge. The backing from the management at Watford seems to indicate they are going to give Gracia the time and resources to succeed.
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