After a winless start to the Premier League season, Watford have sacked manager Javi Gracia and replaced him with their former boss Quique Sanchez Flores. Gracia leaves just four months after guiding Watford to the FA Cup final, but the Hornets currently sit bottom of the table with just a point going into the first international break of the season.
Watford Sack Javi Gracia and Re-Appoint Quique Sanchez Flores
Guess Who’s Back?
Flores was the man who was at Watford’s helm when they first came back into the top flight in the 2015/16 season, and although they didn’t exactly set the division alight, they were the surprise package for many people after finishing 13th and beating Arsenal in the FA Cup at the Emirates.
Since leaving at the end of that season due to differences with the club’s board, Flores has gone back to Spain to spend two years with Espanyol and he also spent the last campaign in China with Shanghai Shenhua.
Imminent Sacking
The sacking of Gracia seemed imminent given Watford’s poor league position. They are just one of two teams yet to register a win so far in the Premier League. The others, Wolverhampton Wanderers, have drawn three of their four games, though, and had multiple two-legged Europa League qualifying matches to contend with.
After not exactly making waves in the transfer market this season either, it was always going to be a tough season for Gracia, especially if they got off to a start as bad as this one.
Flores has a respectable 13th-place finish on his resume with the Hornets, but will find this a different proposition altogether. The last time, he had a squad buoyed after promotion to the league. This time around, he has to contend with a demoralised squad whose only win so far this season has come against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup.
What Was Said
In a short statement on the club’s website, chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury said: “Javi has represented Watford with great dignity and will always be deserving of our fullest respect for his achievements.”
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