Watford sack Javi Gracia, bring back Quique Sanchez Flores then sack him again

Dancfc

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Just checked their form from the back end of last season. 3 wins in 15, no wins in 8 and 6 defeats on the trot included in that winless run.

That's sackable form by anybodys standards.
 

starman

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I quite like Gracia, think recruitment and quality is more the issue for Watford, but his sacking was coming however.
Nevertheless, not sure Flores is the answer, for whatever they are trying to achieve, just surviving should be their aim, but its clearing not....
Anyway, Flores's girlfriend is stunning, so I endorse his return if she pops up in the stands on TV on occasion..
 

dev1l

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I quite like Gracia, think recruitment and quality is more the issue for Watford, but his sacking was coming however.
Nevertheless, not sure Flores is the answer, for whatever they are trying to achieve, just surviving should be their aim, but its clearing not....
Anyway, Flores's girlfriend is stunning, so I endorse his return if she pops up in the stands on occasion..
Many boards make the manager as their scapegoat in order to hide their incompetence.
Unfortunately some fans don't realise this.
 

horsechoker

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If you know Watford's recent history this was expected. The only surprise is the reappointment of Quique Flores

Everytime Watford have appointed a newmmanager they've done better
 

Bastian

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It's why they're still in this league.

A lot of clubs wait until the situation is critical i'm guessing out of gratitude for what they done previously but with Watford it's no messing about, as soon as the decline/stagnation starts their out and in my opinion that's the correct way, Brighton another club benefiting from making that tough call before it was too late (they were bankers for relegation had Hughton stayed).
That's certainly what it's been like at Chelsea (no dig, just saying that's your culture isn't it). I spoke to a season ticket holder at Watford a few months ago and he couldn't stop praising Gracia. Said they all absolutely love him and he reflects their values to a tee. They drifted a bit nearing the end of the season - maybe the Cup run played a part - but I'm fairly certain staying up this season would have been a forgone conclusion despite their start.

I think it's a crazy decision. Even more so now they've gone and rehired Flores.
 

Dancfc

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That's certainly what it's been like at Chelsea (no dig, just saying that's your culture isn't it). I spoke to a season ticket holder at Watford a few months ago and he couldn't stop praising Gracia. Said they all absolutely love him and he reflects their values to a tee. They drifted a bit nearing the end of the season - maybe the Cup run played a part - but I'm fairly certain staying up this season would have been a forgone conclusion despite their start.

I think it's a crazy decision. Even more so now they've gone and rehired Flores.
Depends.

Would we like a long term manager? Of course we would but what we certainly wont do is stick to the wrong man on the off chance something clicks out of the blue and he becomes Fergie. Lampard isn't expected to win things straight away but he will be expected to show a clear blueprint that gives us cause to say giving him time will be rewarded.

I'm not as sure as you that staying up was a given for them, 3 wins in 15 and 8 without a win is dreadful (for perspective that pattern over a season would yield 8 wins which usually means relegation). 99 times out of 100 when a managers tenure stagnates there's no recovery, the give him time because of what he did before notion is nice and romantic but in reality both parties are better off divorcing at the point things go stale.
 

paraguayo

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Can we please go for Javi Gracia? Seriously Watford played great football last season.

It would be our first modern coach.
 

stu_1992

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Bit surprised to see that happen already. They had a good year last year so I thought he might get a bit more credit. I don't think he would have kept them down there long, Wolves too are in a bit of a false position at the moment. Even more of a strange move to bring back a former manager. Seem to remember he was decent for them, but didn't they get rid of him too?
 

Amerifan

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What are their contracts? Four games with an option for four more?
 

FootballHQ

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Can we please go for Javi Gracia? Seriously Watford played great football last season.

It would be our first modern coach.
He'll turn up at the next mid table La Liga club to sack their manager. Maybe Valencia if they have another medicore first half of the season. Villareal or Celta Vigo could be other options. He did a pretty good job at Malaga.
 

Bastian

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Depends.

Would we like a long term manager? Of course we would but what we certainly wont do is stick to the wrong man on the off chance something clicks out of the blue and he becomes Fergie. Lampard isn't expected to win things straight away but he will be expected to show a clear blueprint that gives us cause to say giving him time will be rewarded.

I'm not as sure as you that staying up was a given for them, 3 wins in 15 and 8 without a win is dreadful (for perspective that pattern over a season would yield 8 wins which usually means relegation). 99 times out of 100 when a managers tenure stagnates there's no recovery, the give him time because of what he did before notion is nice and romantic but in reality both parties are better off divorcing at the point things go stale.
Of course everyone would like a successful long-term manager, and I didn't really mean it as a dig against Chelsea (even if I started the Sarri sack watch one second after the Sarri to Chelsea thread opened). It's just how you've operated and it's been relatively beneficial for you.

The form you reference isn't that far off our own form, and I don't think replacing Ole now (aside from the key factor, namely the ownership and hierarchy) would really improve things. It's also not out of the ordinary for long-term managers to suffer a bit of a crisis in form. But it's maybe different when it's early on in their tenure. For what it's worth I think Watford have too good a team not to finish comfortably above the drop zone.

I know they put in high release clauses for their managers as they want to financially benefit if they lose them, but how much of a payout will Gracia get?
 

Woodzy

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Just checked their form from the back end of last season. 3 wins in 15, no wins in 8 and 6 defeats on the trot included in that winless run.

That's sackable form by anybodys standards.
Not far off our form!
 

Acole9

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He shouldn't have left in the first place
I agree, I thought at the time it was a mistake, I like him as a manager. I'm sure Gracia will have no trouble finding a job elsewhere, wouldn't be surprised if it was another Premier League club.
 

Ixillis

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I think he deserved better from Watford after what he achieved last season. They do seem to like a change though.
 

ThatsGreat

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Good, I like hearing the commentators say Quique Sanchez Flores
 

Alabaster Codify7

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Watford are the weirdest club in the PL.

They seem to be stuck in a constant loop of hiring good-looking Spanish managers, who play attacking football and look the business for 6months before completely collapsing and getting fired.

Why the feck would Flores go back there??? Why the feck would they re-hire him???? It makes absolutely no sense.
 

Seaman

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Apparently facing the sack if they lose today. Watford are hilarious.
I love it. This is how football works rest of the world. Only in England people mourn when a manager is sacked
 

Bojan11

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Apparently facing the sack if they lose today. Watford are hilarious.
They need to sack their defence, but that’s obviously not going to happen. Best solution for them is a big Sam type appointment till end of season if they want to stay in the league.
 

Deglobalise Football

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I love it. This is how football works rest of the world. Only in England people mourn when a manager is sacked
It's utterly fecking stupid. Teams who operate this way deserve an existence of misery.

Source: A supporter of a team as ludicrous as Watford that are perpetually in misery.
 

Lay

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Still not as bad as Palermo that season they sacked 5 managers, one of them twice.
 

horsechoker

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I wonder if they want to get Emery now he's free. Would be a step down but Emery wouldn't have to move.

It would be even funnier if Everton fired Silva and he went back to watford.
 

Dancfc

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It's utterly fecking stupid. Teams who operate this way deserve an existence of misery.

Source: A supporter of a team as ludicrous as Watford that are perpetually in misery.
Why? It's the way football should work. If a manager is doing shit you sack him, if a manager who did well has stagnated and is now doing shit sack him and go again.

The obsession with managerial stability in this country is weird, I'd say sticking with underperforming managers out of desperation for stability is actually the most unstable way to run a football club. I mean if you can find a Fergie or pre 2006 Wenger then brilliant, but you shouldn't be sticking with the wrong man because of some misguided moral duty.

No one has a problem with being ruthless with players who have declined or ain't good enough but whenever a manager gets the same treatment it's apparently crime of the century.
 

Bastian

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Will probably hire Gracia again...
Would be funny if he ends up replacing Silva at Everton. Surely he wouldn't go back to Watford now, they're a bit of a joke with how they're running that club. Perhaps a lazy comparison, but Flores strikes me as a Spanish Sherwood. Bravado and no substance.