Watford

[HanoiVillan]

4 hours ago, osmark86 said:

will you miss them? I sure af won't XD

What is there to miss? A complete nothing club. My only positive association with them is Graham Taylor, otherwise they're just a blank space where an opinion should go.

[Villaphan04]

Hmm a very outside the box hire by an outside the box club

 

 

[Demitri_C]

Massive gamble that.

[icouldtelltheworld]

Forest Green have released a really scathing statement about it, said all the discussions have been completely behind their back.

Odd choice for him tbh, if they aren't top of the league after about 6 games he'll be fired and could well see his stock fall massively 

[Rds1983]

46 minutes ago, icouldtelltheworld said:

Forest Green have released a really scathing statement about it, said all the discussions have been completely behind their back.

Odd choice for him tbh, if they aren't top of the league after about 6 games he'll be fired and could well see his stock fall massively 

I'm a tad surprised they've not gone for a bigger name but he's a very good young coach who's been successful with Wolves and England youth teams and then won League Two. I don't think he could have turned them down as Forest Green are unlikely to be challenging in League One next season as it's a brutal league and Watford will offer him a huge payrise and the chance to compete for promotion to the Premier League. It's a gamble but getting sacked by Watford is kinda a given which shouldn't hurt his reputation too much and if he didn't take it he could be waiting 5 or more years to get another opportunity like this one as young English managers aren't offered many chances higher up the leagues. 

Preston poached Argyle's manager in a similar way midway through last season. Seems to be a trend developing. 

Edited May 11, 2022 by Rds1983

[rbcuk]

Is that the Rob Edwards that used to play for us? Don’t know why anyone would want that watford job apart from getting a payoff when sacked half way through a season 

[Guest av1]

2 hours ago, icouldtelltheworld said:

Odd choice for him tbh, if they aren't top of the league after about 6 games he'll be fired and could well see his stock fall massively 

Is it? He is a league 2 manager (league 1 obviously if he stayed after their promotion) that has now got an opportunity to manage a championship team newly relegated from from PL, It’s a huge step up. 
 

If he succeeds he may well go from league 2 to the PL within 2yrs, if he fails he’ll probably receive a payoff that dwarfs what he was earning at Forest Green and most the football world will just put it down to being par for the course working for the nut jobs that run Watford. 
 

It’s more of an odd choice for Watford rather him imo. 

[Mr_Dogg]

It's s very odd choice, Forest Green being excellently run is a big contributor to their promotion, like a lot of  lower League teams.

He might be good but he's only one part of the story.

[OutByEaster?]

1 hour ago, rbcuk said:

Is that the Rob Edwards that used to play for us? 

Yep. He nearly scored one of the great Villa Park goals - it was completely out of keeping with the rest of his playing career. Hope he goes well - with a bit of luck with Watford he might make it to christmas.

 

[Dodgyknees]

I think he’s a good manager, it’s a shame he won’t be given the time to show that.

[VillaChris]

3 hours ago, rbcuk said:

Is that the Rob Edwards that used to play for us? Don’t know why anyone would want that watford job apart from getting a payoff when sacked half way through a season 

Yeah, played a few times in the 2002/03 season under Graham Taylor. I always thought he looked o.k tbh if a bit slow for top level. Can remember him having a run from halfway line v Chelsea that ended with him hitting the bar with a shot from outside the box.

Went then to Wolves and had to retire early from injury.

[lapal_fan]

2 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

Yep. He nearly scored one of the great Villa Park goals - it was completely out of keeping with the rest of his playing career. Hope he goes well - with a bit of luck with Watford he might make it to christmas.

 

It was a 30 yard lob that hit the bar against... a team in Blue (I think...), I'm going to say Chelsea..?

I was in the Holte that day. 

[Davkaus]

7 hours ago, icouldtelltheworld said:

Forest Green have released a really scathing statement about it, said all the discussions have been completely behind their back.

 

I read that, but he's out of contract next month, so I'm not sure why they think they deserve to be privy to private negotiations about their employee finding a new job at the end of the season. Desperate stuff from them.

[Zatman]

He turned down Birmingham, its an interesting choice for Watford but it could be a good move

If doesnt work out for him he will get a decent payoff and his reputation wont be damaged

[rodders0223]

13 hours ago, Mr_Dogg said:

It's s very odd choice, Forest Green being excellently run is a big contributor to their promotion, like a lot of  lower League teams.

He might be good but he's only one part of the story.

 

16 hours ago, icouldtelltheworld said:

Forest Green have released a really scathing statement about it, said all the discussions have been completely behind their back.

Odd choice for him tbh, if they aren't top of the league after about 6 games he'll be fired and could well see his stock fall massively 

He's literally a league 2 manager that spent most his career out the top flight and retired early. 

I'm sure he is financially stable but when a PL regular so to speak with 40m players comes in for you - you go.

He's probably increased his salary 10 fold and become a well known name.

He'll have great resources. Put his name on the map. Pobably get them back up and will get another 250- 500k contract when he's sacked at another Championship club.

 

 

As for the Forest chairman he sounds like an absolute fanny. His contract was winding down and managers are sacked after 3 bad games now.

Shove your loyalty.

[icouldtelltheworld]

14 hours ago, av1 said:

Is it? He is a league 2 manager (league 1 obviously if he stayed after their promotion) that has now got an opportunity to manage a championship team newly relegated from from PL, It’s a huge step up. 
 

If he succeeds he may well go from league 2 to the PL within 2yrs, if he fails he’ll probably receive a payoff that dwarfs what he was earning at Forest Green and most the football world will just put it down to being par for the course working for the nut jobs that run Watford. 
 

It’s more of an odd choice for Watford rather him imo. 

 

9 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

He's literally a league 2 manager that spent most his career out the top flight and retired early. 

I'm sure he is financially stable but when a PL regular so to speak with 40m players comes in for you - you go.

He's probably increased his salary 10 fold and become a well known name.

He'll have great resources. Put his name on the map. Pobably get them back up and will get another 250- 500k contract when he's sacked at another Championship club.

Perhaps you're both right - it's just a bit reminiscent of the Cowley brothers going to Huddersfield after they were relegated for me, every chance his stock falls and he ends up back where he started. If he was going to Norwich or whichever other team gets relegated I'd think it a good move for him, just not convinced Watford is a great career move beyond the inevitable pay out.

FWIW I actually think it's a decent appointment for Watford, but only if they drop their policy of firing the manager every few months.

[rodders0223]

The Cowley brothers were Sunday league managers they've had great careers in the football league.

Just on them , I thought they'd never really kick on as they seem to Foster a great spirit in their sides but they're football is awful. People just won't stand for it now.

[Villatillidie95]

21 hours ago, rbcuk said:

Is that the Rob Edwards that used to play for us? Don’t know why anyone would want that watford job apart from getting a payoff when sacked half way through a season 

halfway!? more like a quarter of the way through the season lmao

[Zatman]

surprised this took so long to leak out as he was doing it most of the season

Quote

Ben Foster was fined by Watford over YouTube videos

 

“We want a culture of excellence at Watford. Those videos were not that..”

Ben Foster was fined by Watford for refusing to stop filming YouTube videos about the club, according to the club’s CEO Scott Duxbury.

In fact, Foster did agree to stop posting videos from inside the club, according to Duxbury, but he did not stop.

 

Foster’s YouTube videos are extremely popular, as he shows his millions of viewers what life is like as a professional football with a behind-the-scenes look.

 

However, Doxbury believes that the videos did not represent the “culture of excellence” that Watford were aiming for.

“However, now the season is over, I’ll say I think some of the videos were disappointing. Our sporting director, Cristiano Giaretta, met with Ben and asked him to stop. He promised he would, but he didn’t. He was fined.

https://punditarena.com/football/rudi-kinsella/ben-foster-video-controversy/

[gwi1890]

Didn’t quite catch the whole thing on talksport but Some sort of investigation about their situation loaning Deulofeu to a club they own in Udinese then loaning him back and then selling him for a profit to Udinese.