Following Nigel Pearson’s strangely timed exit, Watford were forced to once again search for a new manager to lead them out of the Championship. And, after weeks of looking, according to Adam Leventhal of The Athletic, Watford have found their man. That man, of course, being Vladimir Ivic on a reported two-year deal.
The former Maccabi Tel Aviv manager will be introduced to the squad next week as pre-season gets underway. He will become Watford’s 12th manager in the last eight years, highlighting Watford’s ruthless side; a side Ivic will want to avoid.
Ivic Set to Become New Watford Manager
Vladimir Ivic: Background and Reputation
Despite being picked as the latest man tasked with entering the Hornets’ nest, Ivic only has seven years of managerial experience. The 43-year-old began his managerial career as the PAOK U20 manager in 2013; he then went onto manage the first team in 2016, winning the Greek Cup in the process.
But it was with Tel Aviv from 2018 to 2020 when Ivic’s career really began to head in the right direction. The Serbian took over and proved to be an instant success, winning the league title in the 18/19 before bowing out with a victory in the 19/20 season. With an Israel Super Cup win on top of that, too, Ivic more than proved himself. Now, with Watford set to appoint the Serbian, he will be eager than ever to succeed in his biggest job yet.
A Risky Move by Watford?
The Championship is one of the toughest league’s to escape, and the managerial choice must be the correct one. Yet, after dropping down from the Premier League, Watford are set to appoint a man with no managerial experience in England, or any of the top five leagues in Europe. The most obvious option would have been to recruit an experienced Championship manager who has a reputation of guiding teams back up to the top flight.
Watford, however, never the team to make the conventional choice, are set to appoint Ivic in a decision that could go one of two ways. It will either be a stroke of genius, or another managerial sacking to add to the list.
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